


He Loves Me, He loves Me Not

by Dragons_Arent_Lost



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: Alpha Barley, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Brother/Brother Incest, Dubious Consent, Hurt/Comfort, Ian has no shame, M/M, Mind Games, Omega Ian, Personality Swap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:27:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 37,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26500615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragons_Arent_Lost/pseuds/Dragons_Arent_Lost
Summary: Ian's body is going through changes; changes he nor Barley were exactly ready for. After both of them lose control of their bodies, they have to figure out how not to lose each other.
Relationships: Barley Lightfoot/Ian Lightfoot
Comments: 19
Kudos: 71





	1. Picking a Fight and Starting the Battle

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written a fanfic here before, but there are too many pairs I like not to give it a try. I hope you like it, even with all my tags.

It was just supposed to be another day at the house...

Barley had come home early from work, made himself a sandwich, and declared his spot on the couch. His shift at a local mechanic hadn't been hard but it was long. The entire time he thought about how much he couldn't wait to go home. He did have a date that he planned out with some girl that came into the repair shop. She had seemed very nice and real pretty, so when she asked him out he only agreed thinking he'd have nothing better to do, but it turns out he was too tired to leave the house again. He'd probably text her later and reschedule...or just call it off all together. 

Barley wasn't so sure if he was ready to commit to anyone just yet. After he turned 21 he started seeing a lot more people. As an Alpha, he naturally attracted omegas and a handful of betas. The girls tended to be sweet and perky, while the guys tended to be rowdy and bold, like him. It was nice, but he was always hoping to meet someone who was a little different; more like the opposite. He had his fair share of dating around, but each of them seemed to want a lot more a lot quicker than Barley was ready for. One girl even brought up how many kids she could see them having on the first date! No, that wasn't for him, not yet anyway. At the moment, he was content with just working, hanging out with his friends, and coming home to his mother and Ian. Laurel was great, and Ian seemed to be good, but Barley would be a fool not to notice some sort of change in his little brother. He was growing, really fast.

Unlike him, Ian was born an omega and Barley knew an omega's life was much different from an Alpha's. He thought about Ian a lot, much more than he'd like to admit. Time to time he'd find himself getting distracted by the thought of Ian and sometimes it worried him how deep he'd think about him, so he'd shove his thoughts way down and think of something else or do something else, most of the time it was go out and see if he could find an easy fuck...He didn't understand it, but he refused to look into it. 

Right as he finally found a show he would watch, his mother came down the stairs. "Hey, mom!" he smiled at her.  
"Oh, Barley!" she walks over and kisses his forehead. "I didn't even hear you come in!"  
"Yeah, I just got here," Barley looks his mother over and notices she's not exactly wearing 'staying-in' attire. "You're going somewhere?"  
"Yes, actually. I'm going to meet up with the manticore; she and I have been planning this night for a while." She says smoothing out her top. "Colt has a late shift so he won't be coming in until maybe midnight."  
"Oh, alright. Ian upstairs?" Barley asked.  
"Yes, in his room..." As Laurel spoke, Barley noticed a shift in her tone. "Listen, about Ian..."  
"Yeah?"  
Laurel walked around and took a seat next to Barley on the couch. He studied her face as she fixed her glasses. He could tell if something was bad based off her expression. This didn't seem like an urgent matter, but there was worry behind her eyes. "You know Ian's been going through some...changes. He doesn't say it, but I'm sure time to time you notice them."  
"Yeah...?"  
"Well, I think...as an omega, he may be approaching...his first heat.

"Hearing the word "heat" immediately struck something in Barley's heart. Ian? In heat? As in...wanting to mate, with someone? He knew he shouldn't be so surprised, obviously it was going to happen sooner or later, but he was hoping it was going to be later, much much later. Did that make him selfish? Probably, but he was just wanted Ian to be safe from anyone who might want to use him. He was literally the perfect omega, small, obedient, and undeniably adorable. Ian could end up falling for some jerk who'd mark him just to make sure know one else could have him.

And Barley would tear him apart limb from limb.

"When? Did he say something to you?" Barley asked with clear nervousness in his voice. His mother picked up on it and placed her hand on his arm.  
"Don't worry sweetheart! It'll be alright, don't think too deep into it." She tried reassuring him. "It can come any day now or maybe even weeks, but for the time being I just need you to make sure he doesn't leave the house. It'd be a problem if he was out there all alone and...I think you know. Can you do that for me?"  
"I know, I won't let that happen. I swear, mom he won't leave the house." Barley stated firmly. He gives his mom a weary smile and she smiles back.  
"Thank you Barley, I'll handle everything when I get back."  
Laurel gets up and walks to the front door. Before she walks out she turns around to look at Barley. "You're sure you're gonna be ok?" She asked.

Barley isn't one hundred percent what she means by that. He was sure she was just worried about Ian, but something in her eyes said she was worried for more than one reason; she was worried for more than one of her sons. He tried not to think about it because then the deep thoughts about Ian would creep up on him, and that was the last thing he needed. He smiled at his mom and waved to her goodbye. "Yeah! It's gonna be okay." he said as cheery as he could muster. 

With that, she walked out the door, leaving Barley alone in the living room. He was no longer as comfortable sitting on the couch as he was before. He felt as if he should've been doing something, anything that can calm down his nerves. He looked up at the ceiling and focused, thinking he stayed still he could hear Ian's movements. From where he was sitting he should've been right under his room and he couldn't help but wonder what the smaller elf was doing now. Had his heat started? Did he already have someone in mind he would like to help him when it did happen? Was he relieving himself as quietly as possible not to get Barley's attention? The thoughts made his hands clammy, his heart race, and his pants tighten. It killed him to react this way but he didn't know how to control it. He decided not to let the thoughts win, especially not today of all days. He turned up the volume on the tv and slouched back into the couch.

An hour had gone by and everything seemed to be alright. The tv program had calmed him and was actually putting him to sleep when he heard light footsteps run down the steps. He turned around to see Ian, wearing a small smile on his face with his usual large doe eyes. He had on skinny jeans and a rather large sweater that Barley soon realized was once his before he gave it to Ian.

"Hey, Barley." He spoke softly like usual. "What you watchin?"  
"Um, Hey." He responded watching Ian carefully. "Just something random I thought looked interesting."  
"Cool." Was the younger elf's response before he placed himself standing directly behind Barley. The older elf didn't think much of it, instead he turned back to the tv content to have his brother standing so close. However, after five minutes Barley could no longer feel the heat from Ian's body, indicating that he had moved. When Barley turns his head to look for him, he sees Ian heading for the front door.   
"Ian?" He calls out, stopping him in his tracks. "Where're you goin?"   
"Oh, sorry. I was just gonna go to my friend's house for a bit." He said. "I'll be back soon."   
"Wait, what? Where?" Barley stood up.   
"It's just near the school."   
"What friend is this?" Barley asked. He knew the answer was irrelevant because he wasn't allowing Ian to leave either way, but he still wanted to know about this "friend".  
"His name's Brandon, you don't know him. Why are you asking me all this?" Ian asked sounding almost annoyed. 

So many thoughts were running through Barley's mind. Who was Brandon and since when did Ian start hanging out with him? Why did it sound like Ian was becoming upset with him? What was he going to do with Brandon? He shook his head trying to clear his mind. He had to focus on the task at hand and that was to keep Ian inside. He would question him about his so called new friend later. 

"I just...Ian, I think it's best if you just stay home today." Barley said calmly. "I'm sure you can-"  
"Oh great, mom got to you too didn't she?" barley couldn't help but notice how irritated Ian sounded. "Look man, I'm fine. I'll just be out for a couple of hours."   
"Hours??" Barley asked but it seemed Ian had stopped listening as he reached for the door knob. Something about Ian's disobedience made him very uneasy. He rushed over to the door and held it closed before Ian could get himself through. "Ian! I told you no."   
Ian scoffed at Barley before trying to pull the door open. It wasn't shocking for either of them when Ian couldn't even get the door to budge under Barley's grasp. Finally he gave up and balled his hands into fist. "Barley! Stop being such an ass!" He spat.   
Barley, completely taken back by Ian's sudden outburst, looked down at the younger elf in shock. "I'm an ass for making sure you're safe?! Stop being a child!"  
Ian patted his pants pockets as well as the hoodies. He looked back at Barley and the older elf noticed that his brother's eyes seemed a little darker than usually. "You know what? I forgot my wallet. When I get back you better not be in my way!"   
"I wouldn't even bother getting the wallet because you aren't going to be needing it!" 

Barley could hear something of a low growl escape from Ian's lips before he turns on his heel and stomps up the stairs. Barley watched him in disbelief for a moment, trying to come to terms with what just happened. Never in a million years did he think he'd ever see Ian so aggravated with him. Just the other day he was making the same sweet elf laugh with little corny jokes that he knew only Ian would appreciate. Now he was dealing with someone who looked like he wanted to bit his head off. 

He couldn't believe it, for as long as he could remember, Barley taught Ian everything he knew. He was there for his first swim lesson, he was there when he learned to ride a bike, and he was there to teach him how to turn an alpha down or how to get away from one if he needed to. Ian seemed very pleased to receive such advice once he turned eighteen, but it's only been a couple of months since then and all of a sudden Ian was asking to walk towards the dangers of being an omega in heat. It angered Barley, the fact that Ian wasn't listening to those who knew what was best for him and the thought of Ian getting hurt.

Barley quickly made his way up the steps. He walked down the hall and found himself in front of Ian's bedroom. He didn't bother knocking before entering the room. There was Ian, on the other side of his room looking through a pile of clothes he must've purposely poured onto the floor. He moved quickly as he searched and it became clear that his head was as scrambled as Barley's. When the younger elf finds what he's looking for in a pear of sweats, he stands up but freezes when he sees an angry Barley standing in his doorway. 

"Get out of my way, Barley, I'm going." He said trying to sound as serious as possible, only angering Barley more.   
"You're not leaving this house Ian." Barley's tone was much darker. "I already swore to mom I'd protect you!"   
To Barley's surprise, Ian throws his wallet against the wall. "This isn't fair! Why do you get to make these decisions for me?!"  
"Because I'm the adult, Ian!"  
"I'm an adult too!" Ian yelled back, reminding Barley that he was eighteen now. However, it still was irrelevant.   
"We're two different kinds of adults, Ian." Barley reminded him firmly. Barley wasn't the kind of person who felt omegas shouldn't speak back to alphas, but he wasn't going to take such blunt disrespect from his younger brother.   
Ian's face hardens again and this time, he's visibly shaking. "I'm. Leaving. **Now**."   
"No," Barley stepped into the room and slammed the door behind him. "You're not."

Barley doesn't hide his hands as he cracks his knuckles and Ian's eyes widen. Of course he'd never hurt his brother, not even if their mother asked them too for some weird reason, but if Ian decided he was going to get handsy, Barley would have no choice but to hold him down until he tired himself out. Ian seemed to get the message and that seemed to push him over his limit. Without breaking eye contact with his older brother, he made his way around his bed and balled his fist as he walked towards him. Barley didn't want to do this. He REALLY didn't want to do this, but the thought of someone hurting Ian drove him crazy enough to realize that this was what he had to do. 

He stepped forward ready to counter any attack Ian might try to throw at him but to his surprise, Ian slows his pace. His face goes from angry to confused before his knees give out. He falls in the middle of his room and he catches himself before his face hits the ground. All anger immediately leaves Barley's body as he looks down at his brother on his hands and knees. 

"Ian?!" He calls out to him. He has his hands out to lift his brother up but he's forced come to a complete halt. He smells it before he realizes what's happening. Something so sweet, he could go crazy right there and then. There's no mistaking where it's coming from. Barley slowly looks down at Ian and he can hear him panting hard. "Ian...?"

Ian lifts his head slowly to look at Barley and the older elf freezes. Ian's eyes are half lidded completely dark so the brown is barely noticeable. He takes deep breaths from his mouth and Barley can see his bottom lip covered in saliva quiver. He looks so scared and needy, like a child that doesn't want to be left alone. "B-Barley..." He manages to say in between breaths. 

"Ian..." Barley's voice is thick with lust and his hands immediately reach for the younger elf. Before he can get what he wants, Barley stops and forces himself to turn away from his brother and walk out the door, closing Ian in behind him. 

He immediately heads to the bathroom down the hall and closes himself in. He rests his hands on the sink as he pictures Ian's lips in his head again. It was such a cruel thing to do, leaving him in his room by himself but now Barley understood why his mother asked if he was going to be alright. He should've been honest with her; he should've told her how lately his head hadn't been in the right place when it came to Ian and how she should stay home just in case Barley couldn't handle what was coming. 

But it was too late and he had no time to feel regret. Right now his brother needed him. Barley released his grip on the sink and opened the mirror cabinet. He tore things up and pushed things out until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a pack of suppressants and thanked the stars that they were relatively knew. Their mother must've been preparing for this for some time. However, Barley took a moment to think about this. He remembered learning in school that it really wasn't healthy to block someone's first heat, in fact it was a terrible thing to do. "Shit." He cursed to himself before closing the mirror. He caught a glimpse of himself and was almost shocked by his reflection. Barley had been effected by omega heats before, but's he's never looked as undone as he was right in this moment. It sickened him but it didn't stop his cargo shorts from becoming unbearably tight. 

He opened the pack of suppressants, deciding to take them himself. They were a smaller dosage than what he was used to but it was fine; he just needed to be able to focus. But before he could get one into his mouth, he heard a low groan on the other side of the door. Barley froze when the sweet smell hit him again. He growled and gripped the sink once more, dropping the suppressants in the process. What was Ian possibly doing? 

"Ian?" Barley called from the other side of the door. There was no response, and that worried him. "Ian?!" 

Again, nothing. Something in Barley's head told him not to open the door but the love for his brother was much stronger than his inner voice. He swung open the bathroom door and standing right outside was Ian, panting hard and ogling Barley with his big eyes. He was swaying back and forth and it was clear her was having trouble standing. The sight pushed Barley over the ledge. Without thinking he grabbed Ian and pushed him back until his small frame was trapped between the wall and his older brother. A little moan escaped from his lips as his back was pushed against the wall. 

"What are you doing out here?" Barley struggles to control his drooling when Ian looks up at him.   
"Looking...for you." He breathes out and Barley is suddenly snapped out of his insanity.   
"W-What?" He mumbles confused as to why his brother wanted to be around him at such a time. But before he has anymore time to think about it, Ian grabs Barley by his vest and crashes his lips against his own. 

Fireworks go off in Barley's head as his younger brother pulls him impossibly closer and deepens their kiss. He doesn't fight it because he can't; Ian tasted way too good to believe. He wrapped his arm around the smaller elf's waist to make sure he wasn't going anywhere. It was like nothing he's ever experienced before, no elf had ever felt like this against him. He started to believe that maybe he was dreaming, until Ian rolled his hips forwards causing Barley to groan. With the little sense he had left, he pulled back. 

"Ian-" Before he can say anything, Ian pulls him close again and kisses him. Barley tries again, "Ian!" He calls out to his brother but Ian ignores him. This time the young elf wraps one of his legs around Barley's and pulls, causing the older elf's knee to buckle. "Woah!"

Barley falls on the ground and he's almost jolted out of the trance his brother had him in. He looked up at him and Ian looked...different. He climbed on top of him and began to attack his mouth once more. Barley kissed him back but Ian seemed much more aggressive than before. It seemed he was actually fighting Barley for dominance. He couldn't believe how his brother was behaving, but Barley wouldn't give it to him. He pulled Ian up by his curls, earning him a sweet moan causing Barley to shudder. "Ian," Barley's spoke with lust still woven in his tone. "You gotta stop."

At first, Ian just stared down at him as if he was confused, but he soon leaned in real close and spoke against his brother's lips. "...No."

Barley felt all his blood run straight down to his groin. With all his strength he pushed Ian up causing the small elf to gasp as he's pinned under Barley and all his weight. "Ian, I'm _warning_ you. I need you to run to your room, or **else**."  
Once again, Ian stares into Barley's eyes but after a couple of seconds, he smiles. He actually smiles. "Or else what, Barley? You're gonna do something bad?"  
"Ian-"  
Ian pushed himself up so that he's right by Barley's ear. "You're gonna punish me Barley? Are you mad that I won't listen to you...or are you hoping I'll stay put so you can fuck me while-"  
Before Ian can finish, Barley tightens his grip on Ian's curls and kisses him roughly. Ian moans and Barley swallows down. Within seconds Ian stopped fighting with him and realized who was the more dominant one. He parted his lips more, allowing Barley to explore every inch of his mouth. It doesn't take Barley long to rip Ian's jeans off of him. He was over being gentle and he lifted himself up so he could lift up the young elf's hoodie. For a moment, he just watched his chest rise and fall as he breathed. It was a beautiful reminder that Ian was well alive and here with him now. It was when Ian rolled his hips again, the hunger almost took Barley over again.   
"Who **are** you?" Barley asked the elf beneath him. This was the last thing he'd expect from Ian ever.   
"I'm your brother." Ian stated bluntly with a smile on his face. A smile that was clearly meant to be playful yet mocking. Barley wondered where this side of Ian came from. 

He decided not to think about it. Instead he tore off Ian's boxers with one quick motion causing him to yelp. Barley nearly fainted at the sight of Ian's cute dick and his extremely slick entrance. He was oozing and Ian widens his legs to give him a better view. "Don't be nice to me, just do it." Ian panted and Barley knew exactly what he meant.   
Barley lowered his shorts and briefs, just enough to let himself out. Ian gasps at the size of Barley and for a moment the younger elf seemed in his right mind; afraid of what his brother could do to him. Barley grabbed Ian by his jaw and forces is mouth open. Barley sticks two of his fingers in and Ian wraps his tongue around them as he gazes into Barley's eyes. "You know you're right, I shouldn't even prep you first. I should just take your virginity like you aren't delicate."  
Barley pulls his fingers from Ian's mouth and he pouts. "I'm...I'm not delic-ah!"   
The intrusion of Barley's finger causes Ian to arch his back and grab at his brother's vest. "You aren't delicate? If that's what you think then your crazier then I thought." Barley says as he pumps his finger in and out of Ian slowly. He only waits seconds before adding the second one. To his delight, Ian doesn't squirm away or cry. He begins to rock back onto his fingers and as Barley opens him, he finds it harder and harder to not devour Ian whole right now. 

He pulls his fingers out and Ian whimpers. He looks up at him with large begging eyes and Barley forces himself to look away from them. "Don't look at me like that."  
"Because I always get what I want when I do?" He asks and Barley shakes his head in disbelief. It's crazy that he knows the effect he has on him. "Barley?"  
Barley looks down at his brother and nearly melts at the sight of doe dark brown puppy eyes he could get lost in. "Don't you love me Barley?"   
Without a second thought, Barley growls and grabs Ian by his neck. He tightens his grip, making Ian stick his tongue out. "Don't you DARE fucking do that!"   
"Then fuck me." Ian says and Barley grits his teeth.   
"You sneaky little..." Barley trails off as he lines himself up with Ian's entrance. Without much of a warning, he pushes himself in and keeps going.   
"Fuck!" Ian pulls Barley down to hold him. Water brims his eyelids and he closes his eyes to ignore them. "B-Barley..."

The warmth is unreal as Barley thrusts himself fully inside of his younger brother. He stays still for a moment, softly hushing Ian and waiting for him to adjust. He knew he probably should've prepped Ian a little longer, but he was testing him! He used his biggest weak spot against him and the right time and what scared Barley was that Ian seemed to know EXACTLY what he was doing. He wanted to get a rise out of him so that he could get exactly what he was looking for. Barley had no clue of what Ian was capable of. It was something he'd have to think about later, but for right now he could only focus on how good his little brother felt around him. No omega had ever made him feel like this and apart of Barley was glad he didn't take the suppressants. Though he probably should have. 

Barley couldn't wait any longer. He slowly pulled out and thrusted back into Ian. Ian's moaned signified that he was okay with the movement. He clawed his way under Barley's vest and shirt so he could dig his nails in his back as Barley picked up his pace. It was all happening so fast but neither of them seemed to care. With each thrust Barley could feel himself slipping away. The only thing that remained on his mind was his love for Ian and how good he felt. Even now as he looked down at him, the elf seemed absolutely perfect. He turned out to be a trickster, but he was still kind sweet loving Ian. The same Ian that laughed at all of Barley's joke, the same Ian who came to snuggle with him whenever he was frightened or upset about something,

The same Ian he didn't deserve.

What they shared now was amazing, but Barley knew a day would come where Ian would fall in love with someone else. They'd take him from Barley, and mark him, showing the whole world he belonged to someone else and not his brother. Barley moved his hands to Ian's hips and gripped hard. He felt the nails dig further into his back and Ian yelped as Barley began to slam into him. Such thoughts angered him; he didn't want this to end. He didn't want anyone else to have Ian, even if someone else could make him happier. 

"Ba-Barley!" Ian sung sweetly as his brother fucked him.   
"I'm here," Barley responded. "I'm here Ian."

No, he couldn't let it happen. He _wouldn't_ let it happen. It would absolutely kill him to have to give Ian away. With his mind fully clouded with lust and adoration, he grabbed at Ian's jaw again. He forced the younger elf to face him and Ian looked at him through his hooded eyes. "I love you." He spoke without hesitation.   
Ian smiled. "I love you t-AH!!"  
Barley didn't wait a moment before exposing Ian's neck and clamping down hard. He sunk his teeth in until there was blood and he ignore the cries of the smaller elf under him. Within a couple more thrust, Barley had cause Ian to become undone, as he came over his hoodie and Barley's shirt. He held on tight to him as Barley continued to thrust into him before reaching his climax, letting his seed fill Ian to the brim.

They both stayed like that for a while, catching their breaths and coming down from their highs. After what seems like an hour, Ian is the first to come around. He blinks a couple times before his eyes go wide. "B-Barley?"  
The voice is what snaps Barley back to reality. He releases his grip on Ian and looks down at his face. He doesn't look hurt or regretful, but there's panic and when Barely notices the trail of blood slowly moving down the young elf's neck, he finally realizes what he had just done. 

"Oh, fuck."


	2. Confusing Thoughts Leads to Confusing Behavior

It was all such a rush.

Ian still struggled to fully wrap his head around what happened. One moment he was fine, the next he was angry, and then finally he ended up unbelievably horny. So horny it took over him and it made him say and _do_ things he'd never thought he'd do. The high of it all had been amazing, but when he came down the panic settled in. Not only did he manipulate his brother into giving him the pleasure he desperately craved, he was bit by the older elf in the process. Their next moves were quick. Barley fixed himself and helped Ian get clothed before carrying him to the bathroom (since he struggled to walk), setting him on top of the sink. 

Barley had found cotton swabs and alcohol to help clean the bloody wound, but the entire time his hands were as unsteady as his nerves. "Oh man, oh man, fuck dude...shit!" He cursed and it only made Ian panic more.   
"You...you bit me." He spoke in clear disbelief.   
"I-I know."   
"You actually _bit_ me!"   
"I know Ian!" Barley responded. His hands balled into fist and he slammed them down on the sink, trapping Ian in between them. Ian flinched at the sudden outburst but didn't inch away. The sore pain in his neck throbbed as he tried studying Barley's face. "I...I bit you."  
Ian's heart felt wretched hearing how defeated Barley sounded. It wasn't something Ian was used to because it barely ever happened. He slowly lifted his trembling hand and placed it on Barley's face. He rubbed his thumb over his cheek, causing Barley to lean into his touch and hold his hand in place. "What have I done to you?" He mumbled to himself.   
"We...we can figure it all out Barley. I-I'm sure we can." Ian said trying to sound confident but the truth was he had no clue what was going to happen next. 

Barley had cleaned him up, bandaged the bite mark so it was completely hidden and gave Ian a new sweater of his since for the time being the last one had been...ruined. Laurel had come home earlier than they had expected but they were prepared for her. "Hi boys!" She greeted them as she walked through the front door where they had been standing waiting for her.  
"Hey." Barley mustered up.   
"Hi mom!" Ian greeted her trying to sound cheery enough for both of them.   
"Everything was okay tonight I hope?" She asked. Barley had become painfully silent and for a split moment Ian could see curiosity form in her face.   
"Yea, e-everything was fine. No problems at all." Ian spoke up for the both of them. He gave Barley a light nudge and the older elf cleared his throat.   
"Yup! All good mom." He said trying his best not to sound so beat up. 

The idea of telling her what had happened had been out of the question. They were both scared out of their minds. Their mother's reaction wasn't in anyway predictable. She could've broken down crying or fallen into an angry fit for all the knew. She could expressed complete and utter disappointment in Ian for behaving in such a manner or she might decide she was ashamed of Barley for not being able to control himself and kick him out of the house. That possibility scared him the most; he could imagine their mother angry but he couldn't possibly see himself without Barley. 

Besides, the whole thing had basically been his fault. His mother had warned him that his heat was coming but he didn't really take her word for it. Ian felt he knew his body well. it had been his own and just like how he knew when he was sick or not feeling too well, he thought he'd know when his heat was going to happen. But he was terribly wrong; a heat had been something completely different from a common sickness. It had been so strong he thought he was genuinely losing his mind. It had hit him like a train and once he had been in it, he was felt desperate for someone to help him. Like his mother and brother had warned him before, a heat would make him vulnerable to any alpha and in that moment he knew the first one that found him would most likely be the lucky winner to have him. However, from the moment it began there was only one alpha he wanted by his side:

Barley. 

His scent had been everywhere and Ian wished his could bottle it all up to save all for himself. Though he was frustrated with him when Barley refused to let him out of the house, apart of him was glad Barley was in the way because he was able to smell him. It did aggravate him when Barley would treat him like a child and tell him what to do, but deep down he knew he only did it because he was his guardian angel. Barley was always there for Ian, and he always took care of him. So when once Barley's dominant scent filled his lungs his mind went crazy with want. He remembered a couple years back when Barley experienced his first heat and his smell filled the house like a scented candle. Ian had been in his room when it hit him and he knew he had to have more. He followed the scent until it took him downstairs to his brothers room. From the other side of the door, he could hear Barley grunting and groaning. The sounds had made him worried for his beloved brother and he was curious to what was happening, so he reached for the doorknob. Luckily for him, his mother walked from the kitchen and saw what he was about to walk into. 

"Ian!!" She shouted causing Ian to jump back in shock. "No, no, no you can't go in there! Leave your brother be!"   
"Why?" Ian asked sounding almost annoyed.  
"It's...He's going through something, and right now you are the last person he needs to be around." she said softly before ushering him to his room. 

It had bothered him that Ian wasn't allowed to be near Barley. As crazy as it sounded, apart of him always wanted to be with his brother. He loved him more than anything in the world because Barley made him feel safe and special. Barley had always been willing to do anything for Ian; he'd stop time for him if he was able to. He'd baby him by bringing him home sweet gifts or he'd tell dumb jokes that made no sense but Ian was so glad Barley would share them with him. He loved him with a passion and from a young age he knew he wasn't going to experience that kind of love with anyone else. He didn't think about Barley with anyone else, and when Barley did go out with girls and guys Ian liked to believe they were temporary because at the end of the day, Barley would come home to him and only him. 

This time he wasn't going to let anyone tell him no, not even Barley. He gathered up all the strength he could and forced himself to stand up. When he walked towards the bathroom he was fully aware of what he was doing. He knew it was wrong, but his morales had gone out of the window as well as his self-control. In the end, he got what he wanted. Even when Barley had warned him to stop, Ian loved how heavy and hot his voice was. It only made him want more and he needed Barley to know it. He only wanted for Barley's eyes to be on him. When he turned away from him, clearly trying to pull himself together, it drove Ian crazy. It made him mad enough to start playing mind games. 

"Don't you love me, Barley?" 

The words echoed in Ian's mind long after everything had ended. He couldn't _believe_ he tried that but he wasn't surprised that it worked. He melted all over again at the thought of how Barley grabbed him by his neck and carefully squeezed. His words came out like venom that at the same time were entangled with adoration. Ian couldn't get enough of it, but he couldn't wrap his head around what had happened to him to make him behave in such a manner. Barley had promised that they'd talk about everything the following day and apart of Ian had been nervous but excited to hear what he was going to say.

The 'incident' had happened two days ago, and Barley hadn't brought up a word about it. Ian now stood in the bathroom staring at himself in the mirror. He sighed before shifting his shirt a little to see the mark Barley had left. The blood had dried up and it no longer hurt unless Ian were to touch it. A dark blush makes its way across his face. He always got flustered looking at it. Time to time he could still feel the heat of Barley's mouth hovering over him before he clamped down hard. To him it was pretty, but an alpha's mark meant much more than just a random bite. According to a universal rulebook, and alpha and omega are paired for life once the omega is bit. Ian could imagine that thought being terrifying for other omega's; for all they knew they could end up with someone they don't want to be with or someone who doesn't treat them as fairly, but this wasn't a big deal for Ian. It simply meant he belonged to Barley, and apart of him always thought he had. 

But Barley was acting different. He didn't talk about it and he seemed very cautious around Ian. Ian remembered that Barley called him delicate, but he was acting as if Ian was made out of porcelain. When they were in the kitchen together, Barley no longer tried to steal sandwich's or small meals Ian made to eat; instead he'd stand on the side, watching him carefully until he finished what he was making before making food for himself. Instead of his usual grabby and touchy self, Barley seemed more distant with his wrestling games. Just yesterday Ian tried joining Barley on the couch to watch a movie and once he sat down, it was painfully obvious how tense Barley had become. Just to test the waters, Ian scooted a little closer to him, and Barley immediately moved away. That one irritated Ian. He looked at Barley with clear annoyance and the older elf didn't seem to want to meet his brother's eye. 

"Sorry." He mumbled and Ian didn't want to think about what it meant. He got up and retreated to his room. 

It was stressful what Barley was doing to him, but he had to remember: before anything they were brothers. In Ian's eyes Barley was his everything but maybe Barley only treated him so good only because it was his job to look after him, not an option. Ian didn't like that thought or possibility so he decided to ignore it, but he really wanted to know what Barley was thinking. He missed being held and cuddled with; he missed Barley's smile and the excitement in his eyes whenever they saw each other. 

He wondered if he'd ever get that back, or had Ian ruined that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update coming either today or tomorrow!


	3. Trying His Best Not to Be Selfish

Barley's head was in absolute shambles.

It's been four days since he gave into his urges and took his little brother's virginity and in the process he had bit him, marking him as his own. Ian had been doing a great job keeping the mark hidden. When he went to school he wore hoodies that covered his neck and kept them on at home until their mother nor Colt were nowhere to be seen. But when it was just him and Barley, Ian left the mark out making it clear for Barley to see what he had done. Whenever Ian wasn't looking, he'd sneak a glance at it and it sent his blood rushing to all the right places. There were some moments he was okay with his work but there were a whole lot more where he'd hate himself and prayed that God would find a suitable punishment for him. 

Barley really didn't know what came over him in the moment it all happened. It was like a dark cloud formed in his brain, telling him that it was one hundred percent okay to take what he wanted in that moment, and he did. Excluding Ian, he's had sex with about three other omegas in his lifetime during their heats, the heat being the only thing that lured him in to them in the first place. The thought of marking them had never come up in his head. He was just meant to give them what they had been asking for and go but with Ian he didn't want to just _go_. Everything most likely wouldn't of been still as awkward and messed up as it is now if Barley had just kept his teeth in his mouth. 

It was clear how much the whole situation was bothering the younger elf. He walked around cautiously, eyeing Barley here and there as if he's waiting for him to say something. Even when he gets a pleading look from those beautiful round eyes he can't find it in himself to hold onto eye contact long enough or even say something to him. He was still just in utter shock, _especially_ with how Ian had spoken to him. "I'm your brother." was his simple response when Barley had asked him who he was but he never remembered his brother being so corrupt and sexy. When he had asked him if he loved him, Barley nearly lost himself and immediately thought about fucking Ian to no end or until the young elf was begging to have Barley's kids. But he knew he couldn't do that; he wasn't even supposed to touch Ian let alone let the young elf touch him. 

It was too late to go back, Ian was officially marked and Barley wondered what that would mean for his future. Would Ian not be as cute to others with such huge evidence that he's already been had? Would other alphas even want him anymore? What was Barley thinking, of course they would. The thought sent a low growl up his up his throat that he had to swallow down because in all honesty he had no right to be upset. Barley was Ian's _brother_ , not his soulmate. How he wished he could make that possible, but he had to keep reminding himself: he didn't deserve Ian. Barley's only purpose was to guide his brother through life until Ian did meet the perfect alpha for him. Barley couldn't believe he overstepped boundaries; he couldn't believe that he might've permanently messed things up for Ian. 

Barley had decided to spend the day watching silly game shows, hoping they'd either make him feel better or give him an idea on how he was going to speak with Ian. So far neither was happening. He heard all too familiar light footsteps make their way down the steps and he gripped the tv remote tighter than he probably should. From the corner of his eye, he could see Ian making his way into the living room. It was only when he sat down on the nearby couch that he decided to actually look at him. Ian had been wearing shorts, a pair of slides, and a large red hoodie that Barley realized was his.

"I didn't give you that one." Barley mumbled, almost afraid to talk.  
"I know," Ian responded. "I found it in your room the other day."

Barley hummed in response before trying to focus back on the tv. He didn't recall Ian going into his room at any point. He must've done it when he stepped out or when he wasn't looking. Barley glanced over at him. The hoodie was really baggy on him and it only hid the mark a little. Barley studied Ian's face and he looked peaceful, as if nothing had been bothering him. Was that normal or a sign of a problem? Maybe he found something that kept him at peace; maybe it was the hoodie because some omegas would take their alphas clothes to have their scent constantly on them. If that were the case, it'd have to be a habit Barley would need to break, but as he watched him from the side of his eye he couldn't help but think about how cute he looked in it. If Ian were to put the hood on, he'd probably be hidden in the entire thing. Barley felt his mouth go dry. He picture Ian in nothing but the red hoodie, panting and looking at him desperately. He thought about how the red looked so nice with his skin shade and suddenly Barley was fighting the urge to get up and scoop Ian into his arms. His grip on the remote had tightened once again, so he tossed it to the side to make sure he wouldn't break it. 

"I can see you, you know." Suddenly Ian spoke up.  
Barley turned to look at him, but Ian kept his eyes on the tv. "What?"  
"I can see you, looking at me." He stated before turning his head to look at Barley. "It's painfully obvious."  
"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Ian."

Barley didn't think he would notice, but he should've been much more careful around Ian. The young elf was extremely smart and much better at picking up on things than Barley was. Ian's shoulders slump and he pouts. Barley hopes he'll leave his disapproval of his behavior there but he makes it clear he isn't done when he stands up and moves to sit on the other end of the couch Barley was on. Instantly Barley tenses up. Ian had done this before, and the thoughts that ran through Barley's head were not exactly okay. Before he knows it, Ian moves closer. 

"What are you doing?" Barley asked trying to keep the nerves out of his voice.   
"What? I can't sit next to you anymore Barley?" Ian asked as he slid closer. 

Barley's hands had never become so sweaty so quick. Any other day before their incident, he would've been okay with this, but it wasn't the same anymore. Barley began to move back but it only caused Ian to move closer. There was something different in his movements as well; they were more suggestive and oh man how Barley loved it when he shouldn't have. Ian inched closer and closer, never daring to break eye contact with Barley. It was when Ian's hand had slid against Barley's thigh did he do his best to muffle a groan.

"Ian, you're too close." Barley was struggling to keep the panic out of his voice and Ian's gawk made it hard to keep it out of his face too.  
 _"Too close?"_ Ian repeated in disbelief. "When have I ever been too close to you? You used to practically pull me into your lap and that's always been my seat!"  
"Okay, that's enough." Barley told himself as he stood up from the couch. He walked towards the kitchen trying to push what Ian had said out of his mind, no matter how true it was. Little did he know the smaller elf had stood up and followed him. _"Ian."_  
 _"Barley!"_ Ian groaned back.   
"We can't do this now," Barley said low before looking back towards the front of the house. "Where's mom?" 

It'd be a problem if she had come down and seen them in the middle of **this** type of discussion. Barley wasn't so positive but he was sure she had noticed some sort of change in both Barley and Ian's behavior over the last couple of days. When they were with her, they did their best to seem like their usual cheery content selves but just yesterday she had made a joke about how silent the house had been without Barley being busy trying to grab everyone and wrestle them to the floor. Ian had faked a laugh and Barley told a lie about how he had hurt his back at work fixing some old car at his job and she believed him. He hated lying to his mom and keeping what he truly felt behind her back but right now it seemed like he didn't have a choice. 

"She's out and Colt is at work." Ian told him.  
"Geez...that's just perfect." Barley grumbled.   
"Why? Is it all of a sudden an issue to be alone with me?!" Ian asked in disbelief.   
"Do you not remember what I did to you the last time you were left alone with me?!"   
"Yes! That's why I want to talk about it! You _promised_ me Barley! Yet, you haven't said a word in days!" Ian shouted desperately.   
Barley groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. It made sense that Ian would bring that up now. "I know. I know, Ian it's just...gosh when did you become so disobedient?"

There was a silence between them for a moment. Barley could feel Ian's eyes on him as he paced a small section of the room. What had he done? This whole situation was totally fucked. Finally Ian broke the silence. "Did...did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?" He asked softly and it snapped Barley out of any thoughts he had. He looked at Ian who's eyes were glued to the floor as he played with the hoodie's strings.   
"What? Ian of course n-"  
"I'll be good," Ian cut Barley off and began walking towards him. The look in his eyes was too much for Barley to bear and he stepped back as his brother approached. "I'll be good, Barley I swear. Just tell me what I did wrong so I can fix it, and I'll be a good obedient omega agai-"  
" **Stop**...talking like that." Barley couldn't stand to hear another word from Ian, calling himself a bad omega. When he was in a close enough range, He grabbed him by the hoodie and pulled him close enough to cup his cheek. He stared deep into the smaller elf's eyes. "Enough of that."

Barley released his grip on Ian before his urges took over again. He walked to the other side of the room and kept his back turned from the younger elf. He took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to say what he needed to say. "Ian, you're literally the perfect omega...but I shouldn't of bit you. It was a selfish move on my part and I should've been more careful. I love you Ian, I really _really_ love you, but I'm your older brother."  
Ian was silent for a moment and terror began to creep into Barley's heart, but eventually Ian spoke. "So...what does that mean for me? Am I no good anymore?"   
Barley spun around and shook his head. "No! No, that's not what this means. I'm just trying to tell you...there are other options and just because you're bit, it doesn't mean you have to settle."

Barley watched Ian closely. For a moment, Ian watched him back, almost like he was trying to figure out if Barley meant what he was saying. It was killing Barley to say it; he didn't want Ian finding someone else but he knew he would be an asshole to keep Ian trapped with him. Ian turned from him and closed his eyes. He buried his face in the hoodie. 

"Okay." was all Ian said and it shattered Barley's heart. He was hoping Ian would cry, yell, or at least get angry with him. As far as Barley could tell, Ian was a little aggravated but that was all. However, he did notice that Ian hadn't taken his face from Barley's hoodie for a minute now.   
"Okay...and, um, I'm gonna need that hoodie back." Barley said. He was surprised when Ian's eyes shot open and looked at him in shock.   
"What? Why?!" He asked stepping back from Barley.  
"I know you're using it because you like the way...it smells." He stated. He wanted to say the way HE smelled but he didn't want to push his brothers buttons. When there was no response from his brother, he took a step closer towards him. Immediately panic fell on Ian's face.   
"I react to your scent the most! Because of a certain **action** you performed on my body!" Ian said and flashed Barley's bite mark to him. Barley turned away before he got too caught up in it. "It...It keeps me calm; you can't take it from me!"   
As thrilled as Barley was that Ian was trying to keep the hoodie for his scent, he couldn't let him have it. "Give me the hoodie, Ian. If I let you use it, there's a chance you might get attached to me. I'll give you something else that can help, just not my clothes."   
Ian glared at Barley, but the other elf stared daggers into his soul and Ian knew better than to test him. Barley watched him sigh in defeat before gripping the bottom of the hoodie. **"Fine."**

As Ian slowly lifted the hoodie up, Barley looked down and noticed something. Not only was Ian not wearing a shirt under it but Barley could see the marks he had left from gripping Ian's waist. They had turned a pretty shade of dark blue and purple and suddenly, Barley want to see more. And Ian was about to show him more; at any second, Ian would pull the hoodie over his head revealing his perfect nipples and smooth chest to Barley. It was going to be too much, and Barley knew it. Before anything else could be revealed, he quickly yanked the hoodie back down onto Ian's small body. 

"Wait, wait, wait!" He protested and Ian looked at him clearly confused.   
"What?!"   
"Why...why aren't you wearing a shirt under?!" He asked.  
Ian rolled his eyes. "Because I didn't want to, it would get in the way of what you smell like. Now do you want it back or not?"   
"Could you give it to me later?" He asked. Ian studied his face and from the way his eyebrows raised, he figured out what was going on. Barley felt his face heat up in shame but nothing could be done. He would just wait for the hoodie later.   
"No," Ian stated throwing Barley off. "Either you take it now, or you don't get it at all."   
"Are you kidding me?" Barley asked, wondering if Ian was playing some sort of sick joke.   
"Nope."   
It took and unexplainable amount of strength for Barley not to grab Ian and give him more beautiful bruises. **"Fine."** He growled and Ian smiled before burying his face into the hoodie once more. He took a deep breathe and exhaled with a smirk on his face; a smirk that got Barley going. 

As Ian walked pass him, Barley grabbed him by the arm and pulled him close before he could leave. "Don't think this is over, I'm still in charge of you Ian. **Behave**."   
Ian didn't hesitate to lean into Barley until their noses were almost touching. "I'll behave when I'm claimed." He hissed before walking out of the kitchen, leaving Barley a complete mess. This was going to be much harder than he thought...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay on the lookout for tomorrow's update!


	4. Feelings That Just Creep Up On You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I'm doin alright so far, I wanna update once a day but you know how that goes. Anyway, here's the fourth chapter. Hope you like it!

"What a jerk." Ian mumbled under his breath, though he fully knew he didn't mean it.  
"What's that?" Sadalia stopped applying her lip gloss and turned to Ian.  
"Oh, n-nothing." He responded, glad she didn't hear him. 

Ian sat with Sadalia and the rest of their friends everyday at lunch. Today it was just him and her because the others had a group project that they had to finish. Ian didn't mind; she was good company and they got along really well. Being alone with Ian didn't seem to bother Sadalia in the slightest. She was aware he was an omega but as a Beta, she knew his scent wouldn't affect her like it would an alpha. Plus she's told Ian on multiple occasions that she's seen him like a toddler at times based off how he behaved, and it'd be weird for her to go after him. Ian didn't know how to feel about the toddler comment, but he was glad she was honest with him and someone he wouldn't have to worry about. 

"So! I went skating with this guy the other day, and he was really nice." Sadalia began explaining. "But I noticed he was getting a looot of phone calls while we were out, like the entire time."  
"Oh, what could that mean?" In responded only half listening. He leaned into his hand as he played with the meatloaf in front of him. 

Another reason Sadalia liked hanging out with Ian was because he was such a great listener. However, today he just couldn't bring himself to give her his full attention. His mind had been complete on what Barley had told him. "I shouldn't of bit you, it was a selfish move on my part." The words rung in his head louder than they should've. "I really really love you...but I'm your brother." Ian's heart sank each with each word that replayed in his head. Barley hadn't even been able to look him in the eyes, and when he was done Ian was hoping he'd take it all back or say he was joking. But he wasn't. It didn't seem like Barley wanted to be his alpha and it hurt like hell for Ian to simply reply with "Okay." 

In that moment he wanted to yell at him; tell him he wasn't being fair and that Ian didn't want to search for another alpha. As bad as he wanted to react, he knew he'd be wrong to because Ian had come onto him, it wasn't the other way around. Ian had been practically begging for the bite mark but that didn't mean Barley _had_ to stay, no matter what the universal rule book said. What did he expect? He should've known he could never keep Barley for himself. Soon the older elf would find some sweet girl or guy, mark them, impregnate them, and live out his days with them. They'd have everything Ian could ever want and it made him angry to think about someone else having it. Ian would come second and it sucked to know that. What if one day he wanted to bring him or her home? What if their mother loved them and gave Barley all the blessing in the world to be with them? It would absolutely tear Ian apart to watch that unfold in front of him. At that point, his life would basically be over.

"Ian?" Sadalia spoke up jolting Ian from his thoughts.   
"Oh, I'm sorry Sadalia please continue." He said and did his best to smile.   
"You sure? You've been acting kind of...funny." She squints and tilts her head at him.   
"Y-Yeah I'm fine! Just a little tired, that's all." He says. She gives him a funny look but continues. 

Ian did do his best to listen but halfway through, he began to think about how Barley grabbed him and pulled him close when Ian refused to give back the sweater. The power he had put in the word "behave" had almost made Ian wanna drop to his knees and do whatever Barley asked of him, but apart of him was still upset. He said what he needed to say to Barley before turning away and wiggling out of his grip, though it killed him to do so. To anyone else, Barley was too touchy but Ian _loved_ when he was grabbed by the large hands. It reminded him just how small he was compared to him and made him feel sage when they were wrapped around his waist. Sometimes Barley would just randomly pick him up and squeeze him; he did it when they were toddlers and he hadn't stopped for about twelve years. It was like a reminder that Barley was there and he'd always be there, but Ian hadn't been squeezed in days and it annoyed him to no end. He grumbled something low under his breath and Sadalia seemed to notice. 

"Okay, what's going on?" She asked.   
"Huh? N-Nothing!" He protest but she smirks.   
"Come on Ian, you may be hard to read at times but you're an open book when you're upset." She nudged his arm. "What's going on,"   
Ian sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm just...annoyed."   
"Annoyed? With who?" She asked. Suddenly her eyes widen as she gasps. "Ian, are you having LOVE problems?!"   
Ian shook his head fiercely and made sure his neck was hidden in his hoodie. "It's not like that!"   
"Yes it is! It's so obvious!" She squeals. "Who is it?! Someone from school?"   
"N-No...not exactly." He tells her. He wasn't so sure if his friend would be so accepting of the fact that Ian was in love with his brother. She was pretty open to anything, but he still just didn't know so he'd keep it to himself to be safe.   
"Not from school? How long have you known them?" She asked completely forgetting about the topic she was talking about.   
"Um...a while actually."   
"Well, if you've known him for a while then he must've done something real upsetting to get you this down." She said softly. "Have you tried talking to him or telling him how **you** feel about everything?" 

Now that Ian thought about it, he hadn't made it clear with Barley what he wanted but he felt now that he knew where Barley's mind was, there was no point. "I-I don't think it'll do any good telling him."   
"Why? Is he a bad listener?" She asked and Ian shook his head immediately.   
"No, it's the opposite actually." he said. "He always listens to me...always. When we talk it makes my heart beat faster and I don't want it to end. I get flustered when he looks at me and it's almost like I can't breath when he's close to me. I...I really can't imagine myself without him." Ian realized he began to ramble. He looked over at Sadalia and blushes, realizing she had listened to every word.   
"Awwww Ian, that's sooo sweet." She cooed.   
"It's no big deal," Ian chuckles. "Thanks for listening."   
"Thanks for telling me!" She says. "It's funny, the only person I imagined paying that much attention to you was B-" 

Sadalia stopped mid sentence and her eyes became sharp. Ian watched her closely as she looked around. "What's wrong?" He asked her but she didn't respond. She began to take deep inhales and before she turned in Ian's direction. She closed her eyes and inhaled again. 

Her eyes shot open and she covered her mouth in shock. "Oh my god." Ian heard her mumbled through her hands.   
"What?!" He asked.   
"Ian," She got close to him and spoke real low. "Don't freak out...but I think you're about to go into a heat."   
"WHAT?!" Ian shouted, grabbing the attention of a couple of people a table over.   
Sadalia shook his arm and covered his mouth. "I said don't freak out! Listen you have to get out of here!"   
"O-Okay," Ian said pulling himself together. "I-I'm going to the bathroom. I'll take suppressants my mom gave me." Ian stood up from the table.   
"You want me to come with you?!" Sadalia asked frantically.   
"It's alright, I'll only be gone a second."   
"Go to the bathroom on the second floor Ian, people rarely use it. The one right by the cafe is usually...packed." 

Ian knew what she was hinting at. He nodded before quickly taking off out of the cafeteria. When he was out in the hallway, he began to notice how warm his body was. It was a scary warmth, just like the first time. He started down the hall and avoided eye contact with anyone that past him. He entered the staircase and reached into his pockets. He dug through all four of them before he froze. The pills his mother gave him weren't in there. He tried to think of places they could be but he knew he didn't put them in his locker or bag. That meant either he had lost them at school or they were still at home on his dresser. The second option was most likely true and before the truth could really sink in, Ian's body became unbelievably hot. He had to catch himself, careful not to fall on the ground. Suppressants or no suppressants, Ian couldn't stop here. He gathered the little bit of his strength and continued up the staircase. 

When he made it to the second floor he was glad to see there wasn't anyone around. The bathroom he was looking for was just down the hall, all he had to do was make it there. However, as Ian moved down the hall he realized reaching the bathroom wouldn't be the end of his problems. He still had to find a way to calm down. He could go to the nurse but would he really make it in time? A million thoughts ran through his mind but his eyes widened as he thought about one person who could help him. 

"Barley..." Ian moaned as the older elf popped up in Ian's mind. He nearly fell to the floor as he grabbed hold of the wall for support. He continued down the hall. He was so close but so far. Ian took his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts until Barley's name displayed on the screen. He thought about it for a moment; would Barley really be able to come help him get out of there? He was most likely at work and the repair shop wasn't too far from the school but what if Barley was too busy with something else? What if his boss wouldn't let him go? Ian's chest started to become unbearably tight and he knew he had no choice. He called Barley's number and tried focusing on his heartbeat instead of the ring of suspense. After about five seconds, Barley picked up.

"Ian?" His voice rung through the phone sending a chill down Ian's spine.   
"B-Ba...mmm" Ian struggled to speak.   
"Ian?? What's going on? What's wrong?" Barley sounded beyond worried.   
"Barley...I n-need you." He finally answered. "I need you to get me from school."   
"Okay, I'll be there in about five minutes. Can you tell me what's wrong? Are you safe?" 

Ian was about to answer when he two guys turned the corner. They were speaking to one another before they froze in place. Ian's eyes widen when their eyes fall on him, it was clear they smelled him and from the pace they were moving...it seemed they were coming right towards him. Panic filled Ian's heart as he quickened his pace. "Ian?!" Barley shouted from the other end of the call. Ian reached the bathroom in time. He pushed the door open and slammed it behind him, locking it in the process. 

Ian took deep breaths as he dropped his phone on the floor, ending the call. Suddenly a knock came from the other side of the door and Ian quickly stood back. "Hey! Hey are you alright? W-We just wanna help!" One of the elves yelled to him but Ian didn't believe him, he _couldn't_ take a chance and believe him. He grabbed his phone off the floor and wobbled over to a stall. He thanked the stars that no one was in the room with him. He locked himself in a stall and sunk onto the toilet lid. There, he let his heat take over him. All his senses were becoming numb and he couldn't focus on anything besides how tight his jeans felt. Everything in his brain was melting and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. He'd just have to wait and hope Barley really was going to come for him. 

"Barley...Barley." He called out, like if he said it enough his brother would appear. Ian's pants became unbelievably tighter and he couldn't handle it anymore. He unbuttoned them and pushed them down his thighs. He felt how wet he was and he heaved at the thought of how bad he wanted to be filled. His ear were ringing and he was sure he heard someone else on the other side of the bathroom door, but he couldn't be bothered to focus on them. It wasn't like they were getting in either way. He stood up and placed one hand on the stall door and his other into his boxers. He felt the slick that was coming from his entrance and moaned at how Barley had stared down at it all when he first leaked. He thought about the way Barley sinked his fingers into him without hesitation and it made his dick jump. 

His body shook as he pushed two of his fingers into himself slowly. He tried to mirror Barley's motions and he couldn't deny it felt good, but it wasn't Barley. He thought about how good it felt when his brother fucked him, how caring and rough he had been at the same time. Ian whimpered as his body jerked. He came quicker than he expected, but it still wasn't enough. He needed more, so much more. "Barley...p-please." He whined as he rocked back onto himself again. 

Ten minutes had passed since Ian called Barley. He had cum four times to thought of him and though his body had settled down a bit, he yearned for his brother's touch with a passion. For a moment he wondered if Sadalia was looking for him, but he didn't have the strength to go and find her and he couldn't focus enough to text her. Time was moving too slow and it was driving Ian mad. He was about to masturbate again when he heard the lock on the bathroom door jiggle. Ian scooted back to the farthest end of his stall when he heard the door swing open. From what he could see from his floor view, it looked like a janitor had opened the door. 

"There you go boys, I have no clue why this was locked."   
"No problem, thanks again." A voice said and Ian watched as four guys walked into the bathroom. When the door closed behind them, Ian did his very best to stay silent.   
"God, I really don't want to go to class."   
"Then don't," A difference voice spoke up. "I'm skipping this period. I can't be bothered with anything in this fucking school." 

They continued their conversation and Ian was close to tears when he realized they had no intention of leaving anytime soon. He didn't know if they were alphas or betas, but their voices and tones sounded way too strong to be omegas. Ian quietly curled himself into a ball, hoping his heavy breathing wouldn't give him away. It had been too long since he called Barley and it seemed safe to assume he wasn't coming for him anymore. Ian began to wonder what had happened that Barley wasn't here, but all his thoughts came to a halt when one of the guys hushed the rest of them. 

"Hold on, hold on." He said. Ian could hear the sound of him taking a deep breath and he shuddered. "Do you smell that?"   
"Holy shit, yea I do." the third one said.   
"There's someone in here," one of them snickered. "Not just anyone either, an omega who's horny."   
Ian's heart sped up ten times faster as he watched the males feet move through the bathroom. He whimpered when he heard a knock on his door. "Hello?" One of them called out.   
"G-Go...go away." Ian shook as he spoke. He jumped when he saw one of them squint through the doors gap to look at him.   
"Woah! There really is an omega in here, and he's fucking cute!" He yelled clearly excited.   
"Let me see!" One of them said and pushed the other out of the way to see Ian. All four of them took turns and Ian realized they were definitely alphas. Only an alpha reacted to an omegas scent like that and only alphas behaved so aggressively over an omega.   
"Come on out cutie, we'll take care of you." The fourth one said.   
"G-Get away from me!" Ian wailed and it seemed to go over their heads. 

If this had been his first heat, he probably wouldn't of been able to stop his body from opening the latch and letting them in to do what they pleased with him, but this time was different. He could no longer react to just ANY alpha. His body wouldn't allow it and neither would he. Something about watching the four outside his stall try to find a way in angered him. He remembered what Barley had taught him about alphas and he was right; some of them were just downright dogs. He wanted to throw up at the thought of one of them having him over Barley. 

"Maybe we can get a pick or someth-" 

"NONE of you are touching me!" Ian spat from behind the stall causing all of them to go silent. "I'd rather **die** than let that happen and if you keep messing with me my alpha won't be happy!"   
"You're a cocky little shit aren't you?" One of the alphas banged on the stall door, causing Ian to jump and push himself impossibly further into the wall. "You shouldn't speak to a superior like that. Even if you're already claimed, I'll teach you manners when I get in there."   
"FUCK you," Ian growled. "I'll claw your eyes out if you try it." 

That seemed to piss all four of them off. They began to curse him and demand him to open the door, but Ian did his best not to panic. He watched the lock on the door carefully, making sure that it wouldn't break. But even if it did, he knew he'd be screwed. He wasn't strong enough to fight off an alpha, let alone four of them. They'd all pile in and use him as if he was nothing but a toy. They wouldn't be kind or tell him that they loved him. He'd be defiled and then surely no one would want him. The thought scared him and caused him to curl into himself and shake. He prayed that someone, ANYONE would come to his aid and quick. 

Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open slamming against the wall. " **What** are you **doing** **?"** An all too familiar voice boomed through the room. All four alphas stopped their movements and stepped back from the stall.   
"Woah man," one of them spoke up and Ian couldn't help but notice a thread of fear in his voice. "Is this...yours?"   
"Yes, now **get out**." Ian watched all four of the alphas run out of the bathroom. He felt as if he was able to breath again once they were gone. 

As Ian caught his breath he watched as the new set of feet walked over to his stall. He remained silent, trying not to get his hopes up in case he was wrong about who was saving him. A gentle knock was heard from the other side of the stall. "...Ian?" Tears brimmed Ian's eyes when he heard his saviors voice. He slowly crawled over to the stall door and unlocked it. When he pushed it open, he nearly fainted seeing Barley standing on the other side of the door. He looked so worried and it melted Ian's heart. 

"I-Ian?!" Barley reached down to pick Ian up but before he had the chance, Ian jumped on him and wrapped his legs around his waist.   
"Barley!" Ian cried out in pure joy and Barley squeezed his brother as if he never planned to let go. "Oh Barley, I knew you'd come for me. I just knew it!"   
"I'll always come running to you Ian." Barley kissed the side of Ian's head and Ian enjoyed the feeling of being squeezed once again. "Always." 

Ian hadn't unwrapped himself from Barley's body and he was glad the older elf didn't protest. He was carried down the hall and anyone who so much as looked at Ian funny was growled at by Barley. Ian loved being held this way; he'd probably be embarrassed in school later on but for today he didn't care. He nuzzled himself closer to Barley every time he heard the man growl. No one was going to try and hurt him anymore. 

"I'm sorry it took so long, Ian." Barley said as they got closer to the school exit. Ian was technically supposed to be signed out but he wasn't going to bother bringing that up. "The fucking guards here wouldn't let me in without proof that I was your brother."   
"That's alright," Ian kissed Barley's cheek. "I figured something happened."   
"Oh my god, Ian!" Ian heard a familiar voice call out. He turned and saw Sadalia who looked an absolute wreck. She must've been worried sick. "I looked everywhere for you! What happened?"   
"I ran into...trouble. I'll tell you about it later." Ian responded. "I'm okay, Sadalia. I promise."   
"Oh thank god, thank god!" She turned to Barley and smiled. "You're like the best big brother ever."   
"Thanks, I'll take care of him. Don't worry about it."   
"Alright. Oh! Barley, I'm not sure if he told you but Ian's kind of..."   
"Yea," Barley responded. "I noticed." 

Barley didn't sound too happy anymore. Ian knew Sadalia was referring to his heat and he completely forgot about how this must've been affecting Barley. What other alphas were smelling, he must've been smelling it ten times stronger. A part of Ian felt bad, but it didn't stop him from latching onto Barley harder. As they exited the building, Sadalia waved goodbye to Ian and he waved back. He noticed that some people were in the windows, watching him and Barley as they walked off. 

"Why are they staring at me?" Ian asked.   
"Because I'm holding you like you're a baby." Barley said.   
"Oh. Right."   
"Where are your suppressants, I reminded mom to give them to you earlier." Barley said sounding almost irritated.   
"I...think I forgot them at home."   
**"Ian."** Barley groaned.   
Ian nuzzled himself against Barley once more. "Don't be mad at me, I hate it when you're mad at me."   
They reached Guinevere the second and Barley opened the passenger door to seat Ian. He fastened the boys seatbelt before walking around and getting in the drivers seat. Ian watched as Barley turned the keys in the ignition. Before he puts the van in drive, Ian places his hand on his arm. "Barley, you haven't told me if you're mad at me or not."   
"I'm not mad Ian," Barley grumbled. "I'm just a little upset that those guys were about to..."   
Barley removed his hand from the gearshift and gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were turning white. It was clear how upset Barley was but Ian's body wasn't allowing him to take the situation more seriously. Having Barley here with him now was doing things to him and he didn't want it to end.   
"I'm alright Barley, especially now that I'm with you." Ian said as he removed his seatbelt.   
"Ian, put your seatbelt back on." Barley's voice was dark and it only made Ian's stomach full with butterflies.   
"Why?"   
"B-Because we have to get home so I can get your suppressants!" Barley reached for the gearshift but Ian stopped him. He grabbed his hand and pulled it close to his heart.   
"But I don't need them...not when I have you here." Ian purred and Barley quickly pulled his hand away. "Help me, Barley."   
"Ian, don't do this." Barley growled and moved further away from him. He closed his eyes and turned away, an action Ian secretly hated.   
Ian reached for Barley's cheek and turned him to face him. When Barley opened his eyes, Ian batted his eyelashes at him and brushed his lips against his. "Don't do what?" 

Ian's mind was completely mush, but he felt the change in his demeanor and knew this was what Barley was talking about. Ian really did turn into a whole different person but he didn't mind seeing how riled up it got his brother. The only thing on his mind was Barley's love, and he was determined to get it. 

Ian climbed out of his seat and pressed himself up against Barley. "Can't you see I'm desperate for you Barley?" Ian whined like a spoiled child. "Why use suppressants when you can bend me over and-"   
Before Ian could let anything slip from his mouth, he was hoisted up by strong firm hands and tossed into the back of the van. He didn't much time to move before Barley was on top of him holding him down. "This is exactly why I fucking marked you."   
Ian smirked at him and he could see the frustration swirling in his brother's eyes. He pulled down his hoodie so Barley could see his work of art. "What? You mean this?"   
Barley grabs Ian by the throat with one hand and spreads his legs with the other. He pulls Ian close until Ian can feel Barley's erection pressed against him. Ian moans and tries to look down but Barley holds him so he can't look anywhere besides his eyes. "Don't you DARE use this slutty tone with anyone else. Damn it, Ian! I thought I told you to behave!"   
Ian licks his lips at the word 'slutty'. He never thought Barley would ever use such a word for him and he never thought he'd like it so much. He sticks his tongue out and rocks his hips against Barley. "Make me." 

For a moment, Ian watches something go dark in Barley's eyes and he's excited yet scared for what's going to come. He feels Barley's grip get tighter but suddenly it's gone. Barley gets up off Ian and takes his place back in the drivers seat. Ian sits himself up and watches in frustration as Barley puts the van in reverse to get out of the parking spot. Ian scoffs and crosses his arms. "Killjoy."


	5. Going So Far Yet Getting Nowhere

"Barley," Ian called from the back of the van " _Barleyyy_."   
"Cut it out Ian," Barley spoke as he focused on his breathing and the rode. "I'm not fucking you." 

From the moment they had left the school, Ian's scent had been intoxicating and Ian himself had been all over Barley. He had prayed that when Ian called him asking him to come to the school, he wasn't having a problem with his heat. Not only was Barley afraid of other alphas getting to him but he wasn't so sure if he'd be trustworthy around Ian himself. It was a miracle that he was able to keep himself together at the moment. As he drove them home, he was sweating and gripping the steering wheel for dear life. He counted how many red cars had passed and how many busses were blue to keep him distracted but every time he inhaled, he smelled nothing but Ian and it was driving him nuts; not to mention how persistent the younger elf was being. 

"Don't say that," Ian whined from the back. "I need your help and you aren't going to give it to me? You've never turned me-"  
**"Ian,** I really have to focus on the road and you talking like that isn't helping!" Barley shouted.   
"Can I just suck it while you drive?" 

Barley held his breath and counted to ten to prevent himself from pulling over. He used his rearview mirror to glare at Ian, but that was a mistake. His little brother had been watching him while stroking himself helplessly in the very back of the van. It took every ounce of strength for Barley to turn away. He bit his bottom lip so hard he was sure there'd be blood later. He'd give anything for it to be okay for him to have Ian over and over until the elf was unconscious but he had just finished telling Ian that it'd be dangerous if he got attached. He didn't understand why Ian was being so seductive in the first place. HOW was this even possible? The timid, quiet, low profile elf that he known as a brother was replaced with someone who had no shame or care for consequences. Did someone teach him to behave this way or was this always apart of him that was just waiting for it's chance to come out? 

Barley couldn't afford to keep thinking about it, right now he just needed to get Ian home. Barley pulled up in front of his home, but his heart dropped when he saw his mother's car right outside. He groaned as he took off his seatbelt and exited his vehicle. He slammed his door so hard that it was a miracle the glass didn't break. For a moment, he was able to gather is thoughts as he took in the fresh outdoor air. He shook off any inappropriate thoughts of his brother before opening the back of his van. Almost instantly, the returned to their rightful place in his mind as Ian's sweets smell filled his nose. He couldn't hold back to low growl that made its way up his throat. Ian had crawled over to him with the hungriest look in his eye. 

"Barley, please." He started. "I want y-"  
**"Shut.** up. Ian." Barley covered his brother's mouth before he could finish his sentence that was most likely going to send Barley into a frenzy. "Mom's home."   
"...So?" Ian chuckled causing Barley to roll his eyes.   
He pulled Ian's pants up and pick him up after making sure their neighbors weren't watching. "We're going inside, so don't say a WORD."   
"Yes, daddy." Ian purred before he licked up the side of Barley's neck.   
Barley couldn't stop himself from digging his nails into Ian's waist. "Cut it out!" 

Ian muffled his giggling as Barley turned his key in the front door and he pushed the front door open as quietly as possible. He didn't see him mother anywhere, so he rushed in and headed straight for his room. He opened the door and and closed Ian and himself inside. Once the door had closed, Ian tightened his grip on Barley's shirt. 

"You gonna fuck me now?" He asked.  
Barley walked over to his bed and tossed Ian down on top of it. "NO. YOU are going to stay here while I go get your suppressants."   
As Barley turned his back to Ian, he heard him groan, clearly frustrated. "If you leave, I'll scream."  
Barley eyes widened. He turned to Ian to see if the young elf was out of his mind. Besides completely sexy, Ian looked absolutely serious and it made Barley's blood boil. "You **_wouldn't_**."   
Ian scoffed before balling his hands into fist and taking a deep breath. "BARL-"  
Before he could finish his cry, Barley clamped his hand over Ian's mouth. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

He pulled his brother close and tightened his grip enough to be a warning without hurting him. However, his hands went weak when he heard movement right outside his door. "Barley? Is that you?" Laurel called out and Barley winced.   
"H-Hey mom!" Barley responded. "Yeah it's me."  
"What are you doing home so early? I thought you worked till four." She asked.  
"I had to leave early, Ian called me from school."  
He tightened his grip over his brother's mouth once again and signified to him to stay quiet. "Really? Is he okay?!" she asked clearly worried.   
"Yeah...he's fine. He forgot his suppressants and needed me to bring them to him." He lied through his teeth. Barley could feel Ian smile under his hand.  
"Oh thank goodness. Well, I was going to clean your room before you got home, do you still want me-" As she spoke she began to jiggle the doorknob and Barley's blood went cold. Even Ian wasn't smiling anymore. 

Barley released his brother and rushed to the door. He held his hand on it to stop her from entering. "No! No, i-it's alright I'll do it later." He said. He heard her laugh from the other side of the door.   
"Wow! That's the first!" Laurel chuckles. "It's like you got something in there you don't want me to see."   
As Barley was about to respond, he heard his bed shift. Ian was now on the floor and he was crawling right in Barley's direction. "U-Uh, no nothing like that." Barley did his best not to sound as stressed as he was. 

As Ian reached Barley he gripped Barley's pants to help himself up to his knees. He began to fiddle with his zipper and it seemed the older elf knew of his brothers plan. He tried to reach down and stop him but his mother's voice distracted him. "Does your boss know you aren't going back in?" Laurel asked.   
"Y-Yeah, I told him I had a..." Barley looked down at Ian who had managed to undo his zipper. He nuzzled himself against Barley's erection and Barley tried his best not to groan. "Family emergency."

Ian had managed to free Barley's dick from his briefs. For a moment he seemed to just admire him and his size before he kissed his tip. Barley's nails scratched at the door as Ian slowly began to take him in his mouth. It was unbelievably warm and Ian's tongue worked wonders. Barley was well endowed and with most of the blowjobs he received there was often teeth, but it seemed Ian knew how to avoid scraping his own against Barley. He sucked as if Barley was literally candy and it caused Barley to forget their mother was right behind his door. 

"Okay well, what do you want for dinner?" Laurel asked and Barley grabbed a fistful of Ian's hair pulling him deeper onto him.   
"I don't know," Barley's voice was heavy with lust and he hoped his mother didn't notice. "Make Ian's favorite."   
Ian hummed, sending vibrations through Barley's body. "Okay sounds good...you alright?" Laurel asked.   
"Yeah," Barley pumped himself into Ian's desperate to please mouth and tightened his grip on his hair. "Never been better."

Barley listened for Laurel's footsteps and when she had moved from the door, Barley slid himself from Ian's mouth. The younger elf gasped and took in deep breaths with a string of saliva still connecting hanging from his lip connected to Barley. With his hooded eyes, he looked up at his brother and smiled. "I knew you'd let me suck it."   
"You're fucking dangerous, you know that?" Barley pulled Ian up by his hair before lifting him up and tossing him back onto the bed. "Fine, you win."

Barley didn't bother listening to the voice in his head that was telling him to stop as he approached Ian who looked at him so sweetly. He flipped him onto his stomach and pulled his jeans down with ease. Ian's scent filled the room and Barley knew the only way to make sure it didn't get too far was to give Ian what he was looking for. Ian lifted his hips in the air, practically begging for Barley. His mind had basically turned to mush at the view Ian was giving him. He didn't hesitate to slide one of his fingers into Ian's already wet hole. The younger elf arched his back and instantly rocked back onto his fingers. 

"B-Barley!" Ian called out sweetly and as much as Barley craved more, he was forced to cover Ian's mouth as he slipped in another finger.   
"I'll make you a deal," Barley whispered in Ian's ear. "I'll give you as much as it takes for you to calm down, but you have to keep quiet or at least keep your voice down. I'm DEAD if mom catches me on top of her youngest son. Nod if you understand." 

Ian nodded eagerly and Barley removed his fingers from Ian's entrance. He pushed his dick up against it, causing Ian to twitch. "You told me you'll be a good omega, so this is how you can be a good omega."   
Barley thrusted himself inside Ian and again, fireworks went off in his head. He couldn't believe that one day he was going to have to give this up. Ian moaned and clawed at the sheets under him. The rougher Barley got, the harder Ian tried squirming away. Whenever Barley saw him try to move, he'd pull him closer and purposely hold himself pressed against the young elf's prostate. "Mm-mmph!" He cried under Barley hand and the older elf wouldn't move, as if he was trying to punish him.   
"Don't you run," Barley growled in his ear as he quickened his pace. "You wanted this, now take it." 

Within seconds, he had Ian coming but he wasn't finished. He flipped Ian onto his back and looked over the omegas face to see if he was alright. After Ian had caught his breath, he opened his teary eyes and whispered, "Again." Just like that, Barley found himself slamming into his brother once again. He made a promise and as long as Ian kept his word, he'd keep his and allow him to cum as much as he wanted. He had no doubt that Ian wouldn't last much longer, but he'd go all evening if he had to. Ian may have won with his seductive words and body, but Barley was going to make him wish he knew what he was getting into when he tested him like that.

Barley places a glass of juice in front of Ian before sitting with him at their kitchen table. "Thank you." He mumbles.   
"You're welcome." Barley nods. 

Their mother had left about twenty minutes ago to get groceries for dinner. She left around the same time Barley had finished helping Ian with his...situation. He had brought Ian to finish five times before the smaller elf was completely drained. He figured he lasted so long mainly on the fact that Barley made him wait so long. Each time, Barley couldn't take his eyes off of him as he came; he was more beautiful than he'd ever know. 

Surprisingly, Ian wasn't tired after. At least that's what he told Barley when he told him he'd carry him to his bed. Instead he wanted juice from the fridge and for Barley to sit with him while he drank. Ian brought the glass to his mouth and took a couple of sips before placing it down. Barley's heart raced in his chest and the guilt began to eat at him. He told himself AND Ian that it'd basically never happen again, yet here they were desperately avoiding eye contact. 

"...I did it again, didn't I?" Ian finally spoke up after a long uncomfortable silence.   
Barley finally lifted his eyes to look at his brother, though Ian's eyes stayed glued on the glass of juice. "What?"   
"I was...different again, right?" Ian asked.   
"Well...um..." Barley wasn't so sure what he was supposed to say. Yes, Ian had changed in his heats but he wasn't sure how the elf would react to Barley going into detail about it.   
"What is _wrong_ with me?" Ian mumbled in his seat.   
"N-Nothing! Nothing's wrong with you Ian." Barley assured him. "Yeah, you're...different, but it could just be a thing that happens to some omegas. It's not as bad as you think."   
"But I use it against you." Ian said as he finally looked up at Barley. He looked so hurt and worried to hear what Barley thought about it. It was almost funny to see how worried Ian was about Barley judging him.   
Barley smiled and scratched the back of his neck. "I can't let you take the blame for my actions Ian. Honestly I think if it were the sweet side of you trying to lure me in it would've worked just as easy."  
The younger elf cracked a small smile. "Really?"  
"Yeah, I mean if it makes you feel any better, I'm actually...kinda glad I was the first to get to see that side of you. It's really something else."  
Barley feels his heart warm up at the sight of Ian's blush and his smile grow undeniably wider. "Thanks Barley. You know, in the moment it doesn't feel like I changed. I just feel like...I'm more talkative."  
"Oh you're more talkative alright." Barley leans back in his seat and tries not to think about all the sexual comments and request Ian has made so far." 

Ian chuckles and he rubs the back of his neck shyly. "Do you remember the other day...when I first went into heat and I was going to go out?"   
"Yeah?" Barley remembered Ian was going to go meet some guy named Brandon. He had always wanted to ask Ian about that, but he felt with everything thats going on it wasn't the right time.   
"Sadalia had set up a date for me with that guy Brandon I had told you about." Ian said and Barley felt his chest get a little tighter. "At first I agreed because I thought it'd be fun but the closer the date got the less I wanted to go. I guess I was just taking my frustration out on you when you stopped me from leaving the house. As it turns out, I'm really glad you stopped me from leaving. Obviously because of my heat, but...I'm glad I was with you."   
"Oh...wow." was all Barley was able to muster out.

He was surprised by the sudden confession and it made him feel good that Ian was able to feel comfortable telling him. That's how he always wanted it to be. However, the warmth in his heart died down when he realized what was slowly happening. Ian was becoming attached to him. In Barley's fantasy world this would've been the greatest day ever, but in reality it was actually a problem. 

No matter how Barley would like to imagine it, he just knew he couldn't make Ian as happy as he should be. He might've seemed content now, but what if in a few years down the line, Barley hasn't gone anywhere or done anything? What if he couldn't provide for Ian like he'd want to. It was a scary thought, ruining Ian's life by giving him false hope that Barley would give him everything he needed when there was a chance he couldn't. As he looked into the smaller elf's eyes now, he knew he was going to have to let him go and this couldn't turn into a on and off thing.

"Um...listen, I-I'm really glad you told me that Ian," Barley looked down at the table and scratched at its cloth. "But..."  
"But...?" Ian looked curious yet still content.   
"But..." Barley forced himself to make eye contact with Ian. "Do you think...you could possibly give him a chance?"   
Instantly Ian's face dropped and so did Barley's heart. "Give him...what do you mean?"  
"Well...maybe at the time you didn't want to go out because of your heat but, maybe it'll be different now."  
"Different?"   
"Yeah, I mean you-"  
"BARLEY." Ian's voice had come out harsh and Barley knew he had struck a nerve. "I just told you I was happy being with _you_."  
"But that might be the problem Ian," Barley rubbed his hand over his face. "you're not supposed to choose me over something better."  
"How do YOU know what's better?!"   
"I just know! Okay?!" 

Barley took a deep breath. In this moment he really wished Ian would just understand what he was trying to get at. "Ian, please try to understand where I'm coming from. This is why I didn't want you to keep the hoodie before."  
Ian stood up. "Why haven't you asked me how I feel about everything?! Does my feelings not matter?!"   
"No, of course they do it's just-"  
"Why can't I be happy stay with you?!"  
"Ian-"  
"Didn't you promise you'll always look after me?! Why can't you do that now?!"   
"BECAUSE I'M NOT YOUR ALPHA!" Barley boomed. 

Ian jumped back, clearly surprised with Barley's sudden outburst. Barley watched the confusion turn to hurt through his eyes. He didn't know what come over him, he just let out all his frustrations at once. Now, he was surely going to pay for it. 

"Ian..." He stood up slowly and tried reaching for the smaller elf but Ian jerked away from his touch. Tears brimmed his eyelids as he left the kitchen without finishing his juice. Barley sunk down into his seat and hid his face in his palms.

"Ian...I don't deserve to be your alpha."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update coming soon!


	6. Shouldn't Have It But Still Wanting It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I left the last chapter off on a sad note, stick around to see if it gets betterrr.

Ian rubbed his face as he finally got out of bed. The clock had just hit twelve before he decided it was time to stop hiding himself from the world. 

It had been a rough night. After Barley had made it painfully clear where they stood, Ian locked himself in his room and didn't come out. Laurel had come home and asked him to have dinner with Barley and herself, but Ian didn't think he could sit in the same room as the alpha that broke his heart. There was a great chance that he'd start crying and he wouldn't know how to explain it to his mother. So, he turned her down, saying he had a lot of work to do for school and he'd eat later. He didn't and of course that worried his family. Literally anything Ian did that wasn't the norm worried them. 

Later that night there had been a knock on his door. "Ian?" Barley's voice was low and filled with concern. Ian hid himself under his bed covers and pulled his knees into his chest. "Ian, I brought you food. You gotta eat something. It's not healthy for a-"  
"Go away Barley." Ian managed to say without his voice cracking. 

Barley hadn't said anything after that. Ian listened to him place the plate in front of his door before heading back where he came from. As he walked away, Ian's heart ached. A part of him wanted Barley to stay and continue to fight for him, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. An hour later he cracked open the door to receive his food before hiding back in his room. He also took suppressants, even though he didn't feel he needed them at the moment. However he felt it was better to get a jump on a heat that could possibly happen that night instead of going to Barley just to get his heart broken all over again. They had made him feel dull on the inside, as if nothing was important and he was just waiting for the day he naturally died. They usually didn't feel like that, but he assumed it had something to do with his mental state at the moment. 

He had felt like such an idiot. Barley had basically told him before that Ian wasn't meant for him, and what had happened between them was a mistake. Ian didn't know why he let himself forget that the moment Barley picked him up from school. He was just overwhelmed with joy that his big brother dropped everything for him. The high of it all was amazing but the crash made Ian wonder if it was all worth it. Even now, he still couldn't push out the last bit of hope that Barley did love him the way he wanted him to. He tried most of the night to force the thought of them being together out of his mind, but it just wasn't working. He figured his love for Barley wouldn't go away that quick; if it were really that easy then it probably wasn't really love. 

When Ian had woken up he had received a text from Sadalia asking him to call her. He groaned from the morning light as he dialed her number. When she answered, she sounded like her usual cheery self. "Hey Ian!"   
"Hey Sadalia, what's up?" He asked but she hadn't responded. "Sadalia?"  
"...What's wrong?" She asked softly.   
Ian gave her a small chuckle, even though he felt like crying. "How'd you know?"  
"I can hear it in your voice," She stated. "Did something happen with your heat?"  
A string was plucked in Ian's heart as he was reminded of something that would probably never happen again. "N-No," He lied. "You remember that guy I was telling you about? I...I wasn't able to properly talk to him and...things didn't go so well."  
"Aw, Ian...I'm really sorry." Sadalia sounded genuinely upset. "You wanna talk about it?"  
"Not really," He said. "It'll just hurt all over again."   
"Oh Ian...Listen, I was gonna go to the mall today and check out this new jewelry store. Someone in my class mentioned how they have this really cute station where you can design chokers, necklaces, or bracelets with a charm that had your significant other or your own name on it. There's a lot of cute stuff in there, and if you come along maybe we can go eat afterwards. I'll buy. Come on! It's better than staying home and feeling sad."

Ian thought about it for a moment. He knew the store that she was talking about too, it had opened up a couple days ago. He was curious about it and she did have a point. Checking it out was much better than him sitting home and feeling sorry for himself. Plus, if he stayed home there was a chance Barley was going to want to talk with him and he wasn't so sure if he could handle that. 

"What time you want to meet up?" Ian asked trying his best to sound happy.   
"I'll come get you in a hour!" Sadalia confirmed. "Can't wait!" 

It didn't take Ian long to get ready. He took his shower, brushed his teeth, and got dressed in a matter of no time. He guessed he was just really anxious to go. He stayed in his room until Sadalia had texted him saying she was five minutes away. He took a deep breath before exiting his room and making his way down the steps. No one was in the living room so he waited there for Sadalia's text saying she was outside. He had only been down there for a minute before he heard a door open. From the sound of its location, it was Barley's door. Ian heard the footsteps walk towards him and he froze. He wished he could disappear and he thought about running back up the steps but once he made eye contact with his brother, he knew it was too late. 

"Ian?" Barley spoke softly, as if he knew his voice could shatter Ian without a problem.   
Ian turned from his brother and looked at his phone. "Hey." He greeted him dryly.  
"Are you going out?" He asked.  
"Yeah, for a while."   
"Where?"   
"Why does it matter?" Ian looked up at Barley and he sounded more annoyed than he intended too.   
"Ian, I just think I should know in case you're in trouble and I have to come get you."   
"I don't w-" Ian held his tongue, realizing it'd be a lie to tell Barley he didn't want his help. "I'm just going to the mall with Sadalia, okay?"   
"O-Okay," Barley hadn't walked away. He just stood in front of Ian clearly wanting to say something but wasn't. It aggravated Ian to no end. "You know, I-"  
"There's this store she was telling me about," Ian spoke up before Barley could finish. "It's a small shop where apparently people can get someones name carved on a jewel that way everyone can see who you belong to, but I guess there's no point in me getting one since I don't have an alpha."

Barley visibly winced and it didn't feel as good as Ian thought it would be. He turned from Barley and started to head up the steps but Barley took hold of his hand and held him back. His heartbeat immediately skyrocketed. "B-Barley-"  
"Ian wait please, I-I just want to give you something." Barley said as he reached into his front pant pocket. He pulled something out and placed it into Ian's hand and balled it into a fist for him before he could see what he was now holding.   
"Barley, l-let me go." Ian demanded. He could feel himself beginning to shake and he didn't want Barley to know how bad he affected him. It seemed it was too late when Barley's face became extremely concerned and instead of letting Ian go, he lightly tugged him to get closer.   
"Ian..." Barley pulled him in until Ian was close enough to kiss. He didn't move as his brother looked over his face. Barley brought his free hand up to Ian's face and stroked him cheek with his thumb. Ian melted against his touch and he couldn't help but fall for Barley all over again as his brother gazed into his eyes. It drove him crazy yet reminded him how much it hurt that he couldn't really have Barley. It was all too much.   
"Why are you doing this to me?" Ian mumbled under his breath. Tears brimmed his eyes and when one finally fell, Barley rested his forehead against Ian's.   
"I'm so sorry Ian...you have to believe me when I say I'm sorry." Barley said as he wiped the tear away. A horn blew outside and Ian figured it was Sadalia.  
Ian whimpered as he did his best to hold back more tears. He forced himself to close his eyes and pull himself away from Barley before he fell any deeper. 

Ian didn't look back as he made his way through the front door. He took in the fresh air as he wiped his face. "Stupid...you're so stupid Ian. You're so..." Ian mumbled to himself but trailed off when he realized he never saw what Barley had given him. He opened his hand slowly saw a small pack of suppressants...along three hundred dollars cash. It seemed Barley wanted him to have a good shopping day. "God, Barley..." Ian pocketed the suppressants and money before walking over to Sadalia's car. 

Ian and Sadalia had spent about two hours walking around the mall. While Sadalia had purchased at least thirteen new things, only two hoodies stood out to Ian. He figured he was going to need new oversized once since he couldn't take Barley's anymore. Luckily the time with his friend really did make him feel better. She did very little talking about herself and wanted to talk only about Ian's favorite things. He appreciated the length she was going to make him feel better. Of course he knew when he got home, the odds were he was going to have to speak with Barley again and tell him he didn't have to give him so much money but for right now he didn't think about it. He tried focusing on his surrounding and Sadalia. 

"Oh my gosh, this is it!" She suddenly squealed and shook his arm. Ian looked at where she was pointing and the new jewelry store stood right in front of them.  
"Wow," Ian chuckled. "Only took us two hours and a half to get to it."   
Sadalia laughed and shifted her bags between her arms. "Oh hush, come on!" 

They both walked into the store and Ian eyes immediately widened. Behind display cases were the prettiest sets of different gem, diamond, and ruby plates he ever saw. The store was full of jewels that could be bought with all sorts of chains. The whole store sparkled. "Woah." He mumbled.   
Sadalia nudged his arm. "I know, they're _so_ hot."   
Ian looked at his friend and noticed her attention wasn't exactly on the jewelry. She looked dead ahead at two employees that stood behind the store's counter, ogling both her and Ian. Ian nudged her back and laughed. "Sadalia!"   
"I'm just saying! I think I'm gonna get myself a pair of earrings while we're here." She said. Ian followed her over to one of the employees but stayed behind her. He knew she intended to flirt with one of them and that'd give the other the misunderstanding that Ian was going to do the same with him. She knew it'd earn her a discount but he wasn't so good at that stuff. 

As she spoke with them, Ian couldn't help but continue to look around the shop. He walked along the glass counter looking at all the different jewels that already had names chipped into them for demonstrations. He smiled at them. They were awfully pretty and he knew he'd have to be bold to ever wear one seeing how he never wore jewelry. But then he saw it; the perfect piece. He stopped to admire an orange plate that held a phoenix gem on the top of it. In the display case it was held by a choker with little orange diamonds imbedded in it. It was beautiful and he couldn't help but remember a phoenix gem was Barley's favorite. 

Suddenly, a crazy idea popped up in Ian's head. He'd be crazy to buy it, he'd be absolutely crazy! But...he really wanted it, like really bad. Ian rubbed his hands over his face. "What is there to think about? There's no way you're getting it...right?" he whispered to himself. He was seriously conflicted. He had a feeling he could never show it to Barley because it'd be too embarrassing. But would it be wrong for him to just want it for himself? He could wear it when no one was looking. His mind went back and forth as he stared down at the beautiful piece. Before he knew it an employee had walked over to him. 

"Hey cutie," Ian heard someone speak. When he looked up one of the guys that Sadalia was eyeing had come over. Now that Ian had a closer view of him he was really good looking. "Can I help you with anything?"  
"O-Oh, I'm just looking." Ian blushed and averted his eyes from the young man.   
"I see you found a good piece. It's a real keeper!"   
"Yeah," Ian chuckled. "I bet really expensive too."   
"Actually, it's not probably not as much as you think it is. The gems are real, but they're old ones that other stores just weren't able to sell, so we take them, polish them, cut them a bit and they look good as new!"   
"Really? So...let's say I wanted this one with a name chipped into it." Ian pointed to the plate held by the choker. "How much would it be."   
"This one is relatively new, but because this would clearly be your first purchase with us you get a discount so...two-fifty." 

Ian's eyes widened and for some reason his heart flipped. He figured if it wasn't affordable, he'd be able to walk away from it easily. Now that he knew the price and the fact that he was given a little extra money, he felt he'd be dumb not to get it. "Wow, okay I'll take it!"   
"Awesome! While we're here, you want me to chip _my_ name into it sweet thing?" The employee winked at Ian, causing him to giggle at such a bold attempt. Ian pulled hoodie down, revealing his bite mark to him. The older elf instantly slumped as he pulled out a pen and piece of paper from his pocket. "Ah, bummer. Alright, could you spell out the lucky bastard's name for me?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll update either late today or mid tomorrow!


	7. The Last Shred of Resistance

Barley's head was swimming with thoughts and as he walked home, he regretted not accepting his friend's offer for a lift. 

It had been the absolutely worse day of his life. After his outburst, Ian seemed to want nothing to do with him. His younger brother locked himself in his room all night and showed no sign of coming out. Barley stayed awake all night just thinking about the damage he could've possibly done to young Ian's heart. He tried convincing himself that maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought, but the look in Ian's eye told him that it was worse. He tried apologizing, though he knew words were no good, and as expected Ian had pushed him away. 

This morning when Ian had come down from his room, Barley almost didn't believe it. He rushed over to the young elf hoping that maybe he could take him out and they'd do whatever he wanted. He hoped it would be enough for Ian to maybe start forgiving him, but from the way the elf was dressed it seemed he had other plans. Ian had said he was going to hang out with Sadalia, and that was okay with Barley because she was a good person and a good friend. From his body movements it seemed Ian was uncomfortable around Barley and that was the first. Barley couldn't stop himself as he reached out to hold Ian's hand. He could feel the small elf shaking and it made him feel that much crappier. 

Barley had remembered he had three hundred dollars in tips from his last shift from work. It was mostly from loyal customers and alphas that respected Barley's craft. He didn't think twice before giving it all to Ian. He wanted him to buy whatever he wanted and not have to worry about it. He knew Ian wouldn't so easily accept the money so he hid it behind a pack of suppressants he gave him just in case he needed them. He was sure Sadalia would keep him safe if it came down to it, but you never know. 

When Ian had asked Barley to let him go, it nearly tore the older elf's heart in two. He couldn't stop himself as he pulled him in and just held him close for a moment. He wondered if Ian knew the toll the whole situation was taking on Barley, how many nights he stayed up thinking of no one but his own brother. Sometimes he felt sick, but it didn't stop the thoughts from filling his mind. "I'm so sorry Ian, you have to believe me when I say I'm sorry." Barley had tried to plea. He'd get on his knees and beg if that was what it'd take, but it seemed his brother didn't want any of that. 

"Why do you keep doing this to me?"

The words rung in his head all day. Even now as he walked home in the cold he could barely feel because of all of the alcohol in his system. "AAAARGH!!" Barley threw his head back and yelled at the top of his lungs. The streets were empty and not a single car had drove by in about twenty minutes. His cry rung throughout the air and Barley could hear his own pain in the wind. 

A couple hours after Ian had left, some of Barley's friends had texted him. They wanted him to go to a party they heard was going to be an absolute blast. He immediately turned it down, knowing he was in no mood to go anywhere. His friends hadn't given up; they were determined to get Barley out of the house. "Come on!" One of them had said. "It'll be fun, I promise. We'll get you real messed up man, I swear." 

Barley didn't have much else to do and he highly doubted a party would make him feel any better, but it was worth a shot. He figured the drinking would make his mind foggy and he wouldn't think so deep into things anymore. So, he allowed one of his friends to pick him up and they were off. Just like they had promised, it was a really fun party and people did seem to be having a good time. However, Barley's mood had barely changed. His friends noticed and decided to get him drunk. They played drinking games with him and made all sorts of stupid bets but it seemed they forgot Barley was excellent at holding his liquor. Just as he was starting to get tipsy, three of his best buds had passed out. 

Barley continued to drink and the alcohol did seem to distract him from his problems temporarily. A couple omegas had been there and one by one they all made passes at Barley, trying to get the alphas attention, but no matter how drunk he was it just wasn't working. He didn't come this time looking for someone to hold in order to forget Ian. Now that he knew what the young elf felt like and was capable of doing during sex, no one would be able to measure up. He thought that maybe that's what he deserved; seeing how he was just marked a perfectly good omega he couldn't keep. Now, he was just like the rest of those alphas that simply couldn't control themselves. He had become the thing he fought so hard to protect Ian from. 

It was midnight by the time everything was beginning to die down. He announced to his friends that were still awake that he was going to head out. One offered him a ride, seeing how he lived twenty minutes away, forty if he walked, but he felt the air would be good for him. He only made it down a block before he realized he was wrong. Almost at once, all the thoughts about Ian and his question came pouring down on him and it put such a sour taste in his mouth. 

"Why do you keep do-"   
"I don't know!" Barley shouted before the question to finish replaying in his head. "I...I really don't know." 

As he turned the corner and saw his house, he sighed in relief. The air had sobered him up just enough to walk straight and he was surprised he didn't have a massive headache. Since it was late, he'd had to be quiet as he entered the house. As he pulled out his keys he wondered if he should even go inside; a part of him felt like he should run away and never return but he could never do that. His mother would be crushed and it'd be the second time he was abandoning Ian. He sighed heavily to himself as he pushed open the front door. 

As expected no one was in the living room. Barley dragged his hand over his face and went straight for the couch. He couldn't even bother taking a couple more steps to his room. At this point his he felt too heavy and his heart felt too weak to carry him. Barley never thought he'd feel so torn so soon. He pictured his first major heartbreak years later when Ian got married or went off to college and forgot all about him or something. The whole situation sucked. Barley dropped down on the couch and did his best to sink into it immediately. He tried to get as comfortable as his body would let him. 

However, there was something under him that felt like a lump. He could've ignored it but it was just too present. He fished under himself and pulled out what seemed to be a hoodie. He turned it around and dropped it in surprise when he realized it was Ian's. He should've know by how small it was. It would've been a tight squeeze for Barley but it fit Ian just right. That was probably another reason why Ian liked Barley's hoodies so much more because while they fit Barley perfectly, they were ultra baggy on the smaller elf. It was like walking around in a blanket all day. Barley picked up the hoodie and held it close to him. He brought it to his nose and inhaled. Ian's sweet scent was still present and it nearly brought tears to Barley's eyes. 

"Oh, Ian..." He sadly moaned into the hoodie. He buried his face in it and squeezed it against him. When he heard a crinkling sound he pulled back.

Barley search the outside of the hoodie for a tag Ian might've forgotten to pull off. When there was nothing to be seen, he reached into the front pocket. There he heard the crinkling sound again as his hand grabbed a small piece of paper. Barley pulled it out and realized it was a receipt. He sat back on the couch and squinted in the dark to read it all better. From what he was able to make out, it was a receipt from that jewelry store Ian had so painfully brought up earlier. That being said, Barley was confused and extremely curious because if he remembered correctly, it was Sadalia who wanted to shop there. 

Barley read and saw that Ian had spent two hundred and fifty dollars! "What the..." Barley continued to read and saw that the money had gone towards a choker and a jewel plate with six letters encrypted in it. 

Barley's eyes widened as he read the name that Ian had chose to place on the piece. Without a second thought, Barley hopped up from the couch and headed straight upstairs. 

Barley carefully opened Ian's bedroom door. He stepped in and closed the door behind him, locking it in the process; just in case Laurel decided to get up and get the wrong idea. Barley walked over to Ian's bed where his little brother was sleeping peacefully. For a moment he just watched the younger elf's chest rise and fall, his favorite reminder that Ian was alive and well. He crawled onto the bed from the bottom up before lightly poking at Ian in his sensitive spots. 

"Ian...Ian wake up." Barley whispered and the younger elf groaned in protest. "Come on bud, I need you to wake up."  
Soon, Ian's eyes flickered open. He lazily looked up at the elf above him. He was clearly surprised but too tired to really react. "Barley? What are you doing in my room? It's late, get off of me."   
"I'm not even on you Ian." Barley chuckled at how cute Ian was whining.   
"You're still heavyyy," He pouted. "Go on, get out."   
"Ian, I need to see it." Barley stated but Ian rolled onto his side and closed his eyes.   
"What? See what? What're you talking about?"   
"The choker," Barley said. "The one with my name on it." 

Ian's eyes shot open and Barley wasn't surprised. The younger elf turned to him and sat up as quickly as possible. "W-What?"   
"I wanna see it Ian." Barley asked again.   
Ian was visibly nervous. In fact, it seemed like he was scared. "B-Barley, I haven't got the s-slightest clue of what you-"  
"Ian," Barley wraps one of his hands around Ian's thigh. "You've never been good when it comes to lying to me. Now, let me see it."   
There's a moment of clear fear and reconsideration before Ian reaches under his pillow and pulls out something. He hesitates before opening his hand out to Barley.   
"Oh man," Barley sounds breathless as he looks down at the beautiful orange diamond encrusted choker that held a plate with the name "Barley" written in a Medieval font. In the center top of it was a phoenix gem, Barley's favorite. He picked it up from Ian's hands and the choker material felt so smooth. The name plate wasn't all that heavy and it shimmered in the moonlight coming from Ian's window. "Oh...man."   
"N-Now Barley," Ian spoke and a fool could hear how afraid he was. "Before you say anything, I-I was just-"  
"Put it on," Barley held out the choker to Ian. "I need to see it on."   
"W-What? Barley I..."   
"Please, Ian." Barley sounded desperate. "Please put it on for me?"   
Ian visibly swallowed before lifting his hands and taking the choker back from Barley. He turned it so the name plate faced his brother but he visibly shook and it was clear he was going to need help. "I-I can't put it on myself." Was all Ian was able to squeak out. 

Barley didn't hesitate to shift his body weight so he was sitting in the middle of Ian's bed. He lifted Ian so that the younger elf was sitting in his lap facing him. As Barley took the jewelry from Ian's hand, he could tell his younger brother was expecting Barley to become angry and scold him, but if only Barley knew how to put into words how he felt right now. He attached the choker around Ian's neck and leaned back to look at it. It was more beautiful than he thought it was. The orange matched nicely with Ian's skin and Barley's name was clear as day, even in such dark lighting. Ian looked perfect in it, like it was a piece meant for him to find. It was like he really did belong to Barley and the fact that Ian went out on his own and made the call to get it did something to Barley's heart he couldn't understand. It was all too much and he couldn't stop the tears from forming in his eyes. 

"B-Barley?!" Ian called to him. "Are you...crying?!"   
"No!"Barley lied as he wiped his eyes. He did his best to stop the tears but a couple more escaped before he could catch them. "No, it's just...fuck Ian, did you really do this?"  
"...Why haven't you yelled at me yet?" Ian lowered his head in clear shame. Barley cupped his face with both hands and lifted his brother's head until he could look into his eyes.  
"Because you're just too perfect Ian." Barley swore before he pulled Ian in for a kiss. He felt Ian moan in shock but Barley pulled him closer until he couldn't. He became greedy quickly and sucked at Ian's bottom lip. Ian opened his mouth granting him access and before he knew it, Barely was basically devouring the younger elf. It was only when Ian was clearly in need of air did Barley release him.   
Ian gasped desperately. He was able to catch a little bit of his breath before he looked up at Barley in awe. "Wow..." He sung sweetly and Barley latched onto his mouth again, this time pushing him down so he was on his back. Ian didn't fight Barley for control, simply because he knew better, but he did have some concerns. Ian broke the kiss. "W-Wait Barley-"  
"Can't." was all Barley said before he pulled Ian in for another kiss. Ian fought it and pulled away.   
"B-Barley, what about mom?" Ian asked.   
"I locked the door." Once again, Barley kissed Ian, this time roughly, hoping to insure the point of what Barley intended on doing. However, Ian broke the kiss and it made Barley extremely impatient. 

He decided that he was going to do something he hadn't done in a while.

"But what if-"   
"Ian, the only thing you need to focus on is me." Barley's voice went dark and the room slowly started to fill with his pheromones. "I'll take care of you, just like I always will."   
Barley watched as Ian visibly became weak and undone. His pupils doubled in size and his nerves seemed to leave his body. He looked up at Barley and he watched as the innocence left his brother's eyes and be replaced by something more twisted. "Oh Barley..." Ian moaned with hooded eyes and Barley knew he had gotten what he wanted. There had been only one other time when he has released his pheromones and that was during his first rut. This time, it was intentional. The other half of Ian was here.  
He felt it coming up on him now, and he knew in a few moments he would no longer have complete control over himself so he had to drag out the part of Ian that loved Barley's sick behavior; the part of him that basically lived for it. Ian began to claw at Barley's back, begging him to come closer. As much as he loved it, Barley wanted to have complete control this time. He reached for the nearest piece of clothing to the bed, which happened to be a brand new looking hoodie Ian must've bought at the mall. Barley didn't think twice before tearing a sleeve off.   
"That's not nice." Ian purred and tried to get closer to Barley.   
"I'll give you three more of mine." Barley promised as he took Ian's t-shirt off. "Now turn around." 

As if under a spell, Ian quickly turned so he was on his stomach. Barley grabbed Ian by his wrist firmly and placed his hands behind his back. He used the sleeve as a temporary restraint and tied Ian's hands together before flipping him back over. "I can't touch you?" Ian asked, pouting like a puppy.  
"I can't trust this side of you with my ruts yet. You might do something that'll make me impregnate you." Barley told him as he grabbed his jaw to force him to look at him. "And same goes for this wicked tongue of yours, so don't try anything or I'll punish you. Got it?"   
Ian smirked and shrugged. "Maybe."   
Barley shook his head as he moved down to Ian's nipples. He was surely going to remember that sly remark later. He rubbed his thumbs over both of them before pinching. Ian squirmed under him and it was clear he was trying hard not to make a sound. Barley continued to play with his nipples before he took one into his mouth. Ian muffled an squeal as Barley's hand crept down into his boxers. Barley didn't hesitate to wrap his hand around Ian's smaller dick and begin stroking him. 

"Ohh...Ba-Barleyy" Ian moaned quietly as he could. Barley pumped his hand faster and left bite marks all over Ian's nipple. From the way, Ian began to thrust in his hand he could tell he was close. "I-I'm gonna..."   
Before Ian could finish, Barley released Ian and moved away from his chest. The younger elf gasped and looked at his brother completely confused. "B-But why?!"  
"I'm gonna ask you again." Barley said firmly. "I need you to watch that filthy mouth of yours, **got it**?"   
"Y-Yes! I understand, I understand!" Ian cried desperately as he tried to free his hands. "I'm sorry Barley! Please just-" 

Before he knew it Barley had latched himself to Ian's mouth again. He felt Ian rubbing himself against him and it sent chills up his spine. "So willing to please. You're gonna be a good boy and do as I say?"   
"Always." Ian batted his eyelashes at Barley and he couldn't tell if that was on purpose or just Ian being cute. He couldn't punish him if he didn't know.   
"Spread them." Barley commanded and Ian spread his legs so Barley could see what he had claimed a while ago. Ian had already produced so much slick, there wasn't a need for him to lubricate his fingers. "I wish you knew what this does to me."   
"Tell me." Ian moaned as Barley slid a single digit into him.   
"It makes me feel like I can't breathe," Barley starts as he pushes his finger all the way into Ian's end. He dug his nails possessively into Ian's waist. "It makes me feel like I'm going crazy inside and the only cure is you. When I think of anyone else having you like this, I feel like tearing everything apart." 

Barley grows impatient and he takes his finger from Ian's entrance. He quickly pulls down his own pants and frees himself from the tight area. He doesn't think twice before immediately thrusting into Ian in one quick motion. He watches as Ian's eyes widen and his back arches. The choker's plate sparkles in the light, pushing Barley over his limit of control. He pushes himself in until he's Ian's end.  
"A-Aaah! Bar-mmm!"  
"That's why I did it Ian," Barley confesses. "That's why I marked you, because I refuse to let anyone else touch you, take care of you, fuck you, or love you like I will. You belong to me, and **only** me."   
"I belong to you, and only you Barley." Ian repeated as Barley fucked him senseless. 

Barley didn't get why now of all times why he was pouring his heart out to Ian. He guessed it was long overdue and now that his body wasn't really listening to him, it was forcing him out how he truly felt. Hearing Ian moan under him was always music to Barley's ears. He wasn't loud seeing how their mother was only a couple doors down, but it was enough to get Barley going. The way Ian looked at him had been a gift from god and he never wanted it to end. Barley stroked his thumb across Ian's cheek and wondered how he was able to have something so precious and obedient. 

"Oh Barley," Ian stuck his tongue out gripping Barley's attention. "I love you more than anything! If you cum in me now, I can have your kids!"

Well...most of the time precious and obedient. It took every ounce of strength Barley had to stop thrusting into Ian. He stayed perfectly still against the younger elf's protaste and Ian immediately whined. "B-Barley?!"   
"What did I tell you about saying things like that?" Barley growled and Ian looked afraid for a moment.   
"I'm...I'm sorry! I'm real sorry Barley, please don't stop!" Ian begged and arched his back to try and move himself, but it was hard without hands. Barley didn't move. As much as it was physically killing him, he had to teach Ian a lesson. Any other day he would've probably let it slide, but he gave Ian a fair warning. Now he was facing the consequences. "I'll be good Barley! Please!" 

It was only when Ian seemed close to tears did Barley pull out and thrust back in at full strength. He had to cover Ian's mouth, knowing his little brother wasn't going to be able to fully hold in his cries. "I warned you didn't I? I was fair and good to you, wasn't I?!"   
With Barley still covering his mouth, Ian could only nod vigorously as his eyes rolled back. "I'll always be good to you; as long as you stay by my side I'll always be there to protect you!"   
Ian moaned into his hand and it seemed his body was melting. "You feel this? All I have to do is cum in you like you asked and you'll be a parent early. Is that what you want? For me to look after you and our kid?!"   
Before Barley knew it Ian came hard onto his own stomach. Barley removed his hand to allow him to breathe. When he seemed to catch his breath, he looked up at Barley and kissed him softly. "It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world." 

With that, Barley quickly pulled out and came over his younger brothers stomach. Ian's words still rung in his head as Barley slowly and surely calmed down. He looked at Ian's new choker and was glad that it didn't get dirty. He gently pulled Ian's tired body up to his chest so he could untie his hands. Once they were free, Ian wrapped them around Barley's neck and squeezed. "...Will you really give me kids one day?" Barley asked, although he felt it was a risky and stupid question.   
"As many as you want." Was Ian's response before he fell asleep in Barley's arms. The older elf couldn't of been any happier than he was in this moment. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I use a lot of hoodies in this story now that I think about it lol. Stick around for the update!


	8. Letting the Pain Rush In Once More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a small little break from writing to work on other stuff. I think I might want to write another one after I complete this one. Still thinking about it, anyway here's the next chapter.

Ian groaned as he slowly began to wake up. The light seeping into his room was almost bothersome, but his mind immediately wondered off to other things. Not only did his body feel a little sore but he felt heavier than usual, particularly in his lower half. He tried to get up but he was stopped. He shifted around, but it was almost like he was glued to his bed. Suddenly, he noticed the sound of light snoring that wasn't his own. Cautiously, Ian lifted his bed sheets and his eyes widened at a sleeping Barley with his arms wrapped tightly around Ian's small waist. 

"Oh, wow" Ian chuckled softly and his heart skipped a beat by how content Barley looked holding onto him. The older elf stirred in his sleep but didn't wake, even when there was a sudden knock on the door.   
Ian quickly threw his sheets back over Barley's head. "Y-Yeah?!" He called out.  
"Good morning Ian!" Laurel called from the other side of the door. "Hope you slept well!"  
"Yeah, you too mom." Ian shouted back. Barley lightly groaned and to soothe him Ian rubbed his back, hoping it would prevent the man from being too loud.   
"By the way did you hear Barley come in last night?" Their mother asked. "I know he went to a party last night but I didn't figure he'd be out as long as he was."

That was right, when Ian returned home from the mall Barley wasn't home. Ian assumed he had just gone to work but it was strange that he woke him up in the middle of the night. Plus, Barley did reek of alcohol so it made sense that all that booze would've came from some friends house and not his job. Ian lifted up the covers to look down at his brother. He hoped the older elf didn't have a headache. 

"Yeah, he came in," Ian told her. "He texted me saying he was heading out early but he'll be back soon."   
"Oh okay, that makes sense. Well, I'm going to make breakfast before I head out for a couple of hours, what are you in the mood for?"  
"Um...pancakes?" Ian asked but suddenly Barley groaned louder than expected.   
"...Waffles..." He mumbled and nuzzled against Ian's chest.   
"U-Uh, waffles, actually!" Ian shouted.   
"Alright! I'll make a batch for you and Barley when he gets home, just makes sure he heats them up in the oven if they're cold!" She said and began to walk away. 

Ian sighed in relief that Barley's groaning didn't catch her attention. He was thinking about maybe laying back down and waiting for the older elf to awaken, but Barley unexpectedly released his grip on Ian. He stayed perfectly still as Barley slowly opened his eyes and lifted his body off of the legs Ian forgot his had.   
"Hm, Ian?" Barley asked huskily.  
"Hey Barley" Ian smiled nervously at him.   
"Hey" Barley greeted him back. Ian watched the older elf sit up and stretch out his large arms. "What time is it?"   
"Like seven," Ian responded. "You slept for about five hours."  
"Really?" Barley sounded genuinely surprised.  
Ian nodded at him. "You got home around twelve thirty I believe, then you came to my room at one, and you didn't fall asleep until two because...y-you know."

Ian sunk into his bed and avoided eye contact with his brother. He wasn't so sure what to expect. What he certainly didn't see coming was Barley stretching out his arm to feel around Ian's neck. The younger elf had forgotten all about the phoenix gem piece he had been wearing and suddenly he was full of embarrassment. He could feel his face heating up and he wanted nothing more than to disappear. 

"I love it even more." Barley smiled before looking up at Ian. Surprisingly, he began to chuckle. "Ian? Why are you blushing so hard?"   
"Because," Ian squeaked, "This is the definition of embarrassing. I was never supposed to show you and it took less than a day for you to find it."   
"Well, I'm glad I did." Barley sounded genuine and it only made the heat rush to Ian's ears. "I think I'll love it more every time I see it."   
"Y-You're just saying that." Ian mumbled. As the words came out of his mouth he thought about a lot of crazy things Barley had said last night. He wondered if he remembered but he didn't want to remind him just yet.   
"No Ian, I mean it." Barley ruffled the curls on top of Ian's hair before slumping back into his lap. "Can we get up when the waffles are done?"   
Ian laughed and lied back down. "Sure." 

Ian hadn't wasn't all that hungry, but apparently Barley was. While Ian only had eaten a waffle and a half, Barley scarfed down eight and was half way done with his ninth one. He hadn't said much since he started eating. A couple of times he asked Ian if he seriously wasn't all that hungry but the younger elf would just shake his head and tell Barley to eat all the waffles to his hearts content. He didn't mind sitting back and watching him eat. Literally anything Barley did was somehow fascinating to Ian.   
What really fascinated him was Barley's behavior last night. Ian remembered being worried about his mother entering his room and catching them doing the unimaginable, but somehow Barley's scent instantly filled the room and Ian's nerves were magically gone. Ian knew, and accepted, that he changed whenever he was in heat but Barley wasn't so far off himself. He seemed way more aggressive, more dominant, and disciplinary. 

"Hey Barley?"   
"Hm?" The older elf hummed as he drank from his glass of milk.   
"What exactly did you do to me last night?" Ian asked. He was expecting an answering after Barley had swallowed, but it seemed his question had thrown the older elf off.   
Barley spat out some of his milk and choked on the bit that was already making its way down his throat. Ian's eyes widened and he scrambled to figure out what to do with his hands to maybe help as his brother coughed. "Barley! I'm-I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to catch you off guard or anything!"   
"It's...It's alright." Barley slowly but surely began to pull himself together. "Oh wow...um...well, I might've purposely released my...pheromones to kinda get your other side to come out."  
"Oh," Ian sounded less surprise than he really was. He remembered Barley telling him he was glad to be the first to see that side of Ian but he never would've thought Barley would intentionally try to get the seductive side of Ian to come out. "That's..."  
"Crazy, I know." Barley said before stuffing another waffle into his mouth.   
"N-No! It's just surprising." Ian corrects him. He clears his throat. "Also, did you mean that stuff you said? You know about why you marked me and how you could've...impregnated me?"   
Once again, Barley coughs and this time it takes him a minute before he can get it together. Ian pushes Barley's glass of milk closer to him, indicating that he should take a drink to make it easier. Barley chugs down the rest of his milk before turning to Ian. "Y-Yes...I'm sure I said a lot more crazy things that I can't remember."   
"Yeah, actually." Ian nodded and this time it was Barley's face that begun to heat up.   
"Sorry," He said and looked down at Ian's choker. "It's just when I saw the receipt for that, I just knew I had to see it. Once I saw it on you, it began and I knew I had no intention of stopping. I'm genuinely surprised I had as much control as I did. Probably next time there won't be that much control."   
Ian did his best to hide his smile and tried not to think about the "next time" comment Barley made. He fiddled with the phoenix gem piece on his choker. "So...you aren't mad about this?"   
Barley gave Ian a soft smile and shook his head. "Nah."  
"So what now?"   
Barley went quiet and it seemed he was in thought. It made Ian nervous but finally Barley spoke up. "Let's stick together today, yeah?"   
Ian didn't hide his smile this time. "Yeah."

  
The day had gone by smoothly and it was better than Ian expected. Barley stayed glued to his side for hours just like he had said he would. They watched all of Ian's favorite tv shows, Barley explained his role playing game to him(even though he still wasn't sure he understood it) as they gave it a try, and as usual the older elf wrestled the younger one to the ground. Ian had become used to being flung around at times and he did know some of Barley's usual attacks. He was able to counter some of them but because he was smaller, Barley usually got the best of him. That was okay with Ian, he was just glad his brother even wanted to play with him like they used to all the time. 

In his heart he felt this was Barley trying to see if they could make it work. He had a feeling the older elf wouldn't admit to it but the way Barley carried himself throughout the day spoke for him. Ian felt this was just what they needed and it seemed everything was going to be okay. He didn't want to jinx it but Barley meant the world to him and if he could have the older elf to himself and make him happy that was all he wanted. To finally belong to Barley would be a dream come true. He hoped that was really what the older elf wanted too; sometimes Ian would catch Barley staring at his choker and it made his heart warm.

"I think I'm gonna take this off," Ian joked doing his best to sound for real. He pulled at the choker and Barley quickly took Ian's smaller hand away from it.  
"What? Why?" He asked and it made Ian smirk.  
"I don't know, I think I'm just getting tired of it."  
Barley seemed to catch on as a grin formed across his face. "So that means you're getting tired of me?"  
Ian shrugged. "Possibly."   
"You liar." Barley chuckled before tossing himself on top of him. Ian laughed and struggled against Barley's hold for a moment. When he finally gave in, Barley kissed him, causing Ian's toes to curl. "Don't ever take it off." 

It was nice, so nice that Ian hoped Barley would never leave his side. He knew it was a little premature, but he wondered what his life would be like with Barley with him the entire way through. They'd never have to grow apart or wonder where they were in the world. They could be there for each other whenever they needed to be and that was such a comforting thought for Ian. He didn't even bother imagining what his life would be like if Barley and him went their separate ways, it was too upsetting.   
They had been watching some movie for the past two hours. It was one of Barley's favorites but he was too busy slowly falling asleep with his head on Ian's lap. Ian combed his fingers through his brothers hair and they stayed like that, peacefully and content. Suddenly Barley groaned and Ian looked down at him.   
"What's wrong?" He asked.   
"I have to pee." The older elf whined.   
Ian chuckled before removing his hand from his brothers hair. "Then go."   
"But I'm comfortablllle." Barley nuzzled himself closer into Ian's stomach. The younger elf rolled his eyes and pushed his brother from his body.   
"Gooo, I'll be here when you get back."  
"Ugh," Barley slowly stood up and walk towards their bathroom. "Stupid bladder."   
Ian watched him walk away but the sound of the door bell grabbed his attention. "I'll get it!" He called out to Barley before standing up. 

As he walked over to the front door he was curious to who would be visiting them at this time of day. Colt should've been on patrol, it was too soon for their mother to return, and the mailman usually dropped off packages much earlier. As Ian opened the door, he was surprised to see a female elf standing in front of him. She was shockingly pretty and slim with long wavy hair. She had just the right amount of makeup on so it didn't hide her features and her smile made her face seem brighter.   
Ian didn't know why, but he suddenly felt super uncomfortable and unexplainably inferior to her. There was something about her that didn't feel right. He was close enough to somewhat smell her, but maybe his nose was mistaken because she smelled all too familiar. Ian never met this girl in his life. 

"Um, hi." He greets her clearly confused.   
"Hey!" She sounds perky and Ian suddenly feels a little worse. "I hope I got the right house. Is this where Barley Lightfoot lives?"   
Ian's blood went cold. He went from uncomfortable to upset instantly. He tried not to show it as he spoke. "Yeah, he lives here."   
"Oh good! Last night he left his beanie at a party and I was the lucky one who found it. I just wanted to return it." She said before pulling out a dark green beanie from her back pocket.

Ian looked down at it and he nearly felt sick. He now realized that familiar scent on her...was Barley. He remembered he had went to a party last night and he must've left it there. However, it was rare Ian ever seen Barley without his beanie. When he came home last night, he assumed he simply left it in his own room before heading up to Ian's, but no, it was in the hands of this girls all night and morning. Why did she have it? Barley didn't even let his friends mess with his beanie, so why did _she_ have it?   
Ian tried not to let the worst thoughts get in his head. He was an over-thinker and there have been plenty times where it's been proven not healthy for him. For all he knew, this chick could've just been another friend. Ian was sure Barley had female friends. He hadn't ever seen him with _this_ one, but maybe she was a new.

"Thanks," Ian said dryly. "I can give it to him."   
As Ian reached to take the beanie, the girl pulled her hand back, catching Ian by surprise. "Who are you exactly?" She asked.   
Ian looked at her in disbelief. " _I'm_ his..." He took a small breath before continuing. "I live here with him. He isn't around at the moment, but I can make sure it gets to him seeing how he trusts me the most."  
The girl contorts her face and it oddly gives Ian a feeling of satisfaction. She hands him the beanie and he assumes their business is done just like that. However, as he's about to close the door, her hand suddenly stops it. She has a strange grin on her face and Ian wonders what else she wants. 

"You know, Barley's a special type of guy. Like _very_ special and he makes the rest of us feel special too." She says. Her smile widens as Ian's becomes visibly upset. "I'm sure when he does pick his mate, it'll be someone just as great as him; not someone who merely **thinks** they deserve him because of how long they've been around." 

With that, she turns on her heel and walks down the pathway. She doesn't look back at Ian shuts the door. He can hear his heartbeat in his ears and it makes the room seem extremely quiet. Ian can only picture the girls wicked smile in his head and it gets to him. He tries to force it out but it doesn't go. She had said too much, so much that he had no choice but to think about. What did she mean by 'the rest of us'? How exactly did she know he was special? Why did she smell so much like him? Were there others that smelled like him?

Was Barley really who Ian thought he was? 

Ian gripped his chest and tried to focus on his breathing. His heart hurt and him wanting the anxiety to go away made it worse. Nothing seemed to make sense and he couldn't wrap his head around anything besides the smile on that girls face. It was like she knew something Ian didn't know and that scared him. What if there was a whole other part of Barley Ian didn't know about because the alpha chose to keep that hidden from him. What if...Barley wasn't only his?

"Hey!" He heard someone call out from behind him and it caused Ian to jump. He turned to see Barley, with a wide smile over his face. "I thought you said you'd be back on the couch when I got back."   
Ian remained quiet. His head was still swimming and he wasn't one hundred percent sure what to say. It seemed Barley noticed the shift in Ian's behavior. "Hey...what's wrong?"   
Ian swallowed his nerves before lifting his hand, revealing Barley's beanie. The older elf perked up seeing it. "Ah, my beanie! I was looking all over for that. Wait...how did you-"   
"You left it at that party you went to." Ian said dryly. "And someone brought it back."   
"Who? One of the guys?" Barley asked.   
"No...a girl."   
Barley's face contorted and it seemed he looked confused, but Ian knew better than to fall for it. "Huh. That's weird...I don't remember giv-"  
"Really? She seemed to remember **a lot** last night." Ian spoke in a harsh tone. "And she seemed to know a lot about you." 

Barley began to understand where Ian was going. He suddenly became real quiet and it only winded Ian up more. Barley lifted his hands clearly in defense. "Ian, it's not a good idea to assume what you're assuming." He spoke softly.  
"Then can you honestly tell me who she was?" Ian asked. "Can you tell me what exactly your relationship with her?"   
"I literally don't have one with her Ian, there were too many girls there and I wasn't exactly focusing on one of them." Barley stated and Ian's eyes widened. Realizing how that came out, Barley quickly tried correcting himself. "W-Wait, that's NOT at all what I meant! I was trying to say I-"   
"I can't believe it," Ian mumbled as he shook his head. "I can't believe it!"   
"What can't you believe?!"   
"That you've been lying to me!" Ian shouted and it clearly caught Barley by surprise. "All this time you've had someone else... _multiple_ someone else's for all I know but you made it seem like you were this guy that would never do that!"   
"Are you serious right now?!" Barley asked becoming visibly upset. "You're really going to believe some random girl over me?! The person who's taken care of you your entire life!"  
"You can't even tell me why she had your beanie, you JERK!!" Ian shouted and threw Barley's beanie in his face. 

He might've been overreacting, he might not, but right now he didn't care. He was too blinded by hurt and anger to think straight. He trusted Barley with his life, but for all Ian knew when Barley left this house he wasn't who Ian thought he was. He wasn't the sweet, kind, rough yet gentle, overprotective, and responsible elf he's come to know. Or maybe he was, just with other omegas. It was starting to make sense, why Barley was pushing him away at first. 

"Is this why you were always rejecting me?" Ian asked as he took a couple steps towards Barley. "So that I wouldn't one day discover what you _really_ do when you leave home?"   
"I-Ian, no that's not it at all!" Barley said. "Please, just calm do-"   
"Was today just you giving in to your urges to have me for yourself but never allowing me to just have you?! Were you just **using** me this entire time?!"   
"No, you're **wrong**." Barley shook his head fiercely and it was clear he was becoming angry with Ian's words.   
"I'm not! You were just being selfish! You marked me so that no one else could get close to me! So that I wouldn't have a real chance to leave you if I ever found out the truth!"   
"NO!"   
"All my life, you protected me from other alphas, but I should've stayed away from YOU!" As Ian screamed tears flowed down his cheeks.  
"IAN!"   
"You're no different! I **HATE** YOU!"   
" _ **IAN**_!" Barley snatched up Ian by his arms when the younger elf was finally close enough. Ian froze in Barley's grasp. Tears continued to fall as he just stared into his other brothers eyes. He had to admit, Barley had never looked so...fragile. "I..am NOT like them. I wouldn't dream of hurting you." 

Even as Ian looked into Barley's eyes full of truth, he couldn't bring himself to believe anything her heard. "I can't believe you." He spoke almost as a whisper. "I can't _afford_ to believe you. It's too much, the back and forth. One day you love me and one day you don't...I can't keep doing that forever."   
Ian broke himself from Barley's gasp. He reached up to his neck and took hold of his choker. Barley's eyes widened. "I-Ian, what're you doing?" He asked clearly afraid of his younger brothers answer.   
With one clean pull, the piece that held the choker together snapped undone. Ian looked at the orange plate in his hand and read his brother's name one last time before placing the jewelry in Barley's hand. "It's clear that I can't be your omega. I can only be your little brother."

Ian moves pass Barley and walks up the steps. He's halfway up when his knees begin to buckle so he runs the remainder of the way until he locks himself in his room and quietly cries. 


	9. Problems That Just Pile On

He would never be in love again. The soreness in his heart felt like it'd never go away and serve as a constant reminder of how foolish he was to think he could actually have something with Ian. 

Barley didn't feel much besides the pain. It all happened so fast and a part of him still didn't understand it. He could've sworn he left his beanie with one of his friends but when Ian said a girl had brought it to the house, he knew something was wrong. He also knew that he was in deep trouble from the look poor Ian had given him. It was like all his trust had instantly faded and Barley was a stranger. He really didn't know how some girl had his hat, or why she had it or why she even felt to bring it to his home, but it didn't matter because in Ian's eyes Barley was the reason behind all of it. He wanted to reason with his brother, to beg him to believe him but the way the younger elf screamed and fussed made it clear he had hit his limit. 

The way he ripped his choker off of him made it clear that Ian was completely done with him. 

He felt himself break when Ian placed the jewelry in his hand. He was at a loss for words and he couldn't move as Ian made his way to his bedroom without saying a word. Barley just stared down at the piece for seconds that felt like hours. He didn't even flinch when his mother walked through the door.   
"Hey Barley!" She greeted him but instantly became worried when she saw her oldest son who was as tough as stones on the verge of tears. "Barley?"   
Barley couldn't answer her, he didn't know what to say. She dropped her purse and keys before walking over to comfort her oldest son but stopped when she saw something shining in his palm. Laurel looked down at the jewelry and gasped at its beauty. "Wow Barley...who's this for?" She asked cautiously.   
Barley sighed and ripped his eyes from the choker. He looked into his mothers eyes and he could see how scared she was to see him like this. "No one." was all he was able to say before turning around and heading into his bedroom. 

His mother had followed him and tried speaking to him through his door for about an hour, but when Barley was unresponsive she gave up. He felt bad for ignoring her, but he literally just couldn't speak. The only thing he could think of was the look in Ian's eyes as he screamed at him. "I **HATE** YOU!!" was the worst part of it all for Barley. The words repeated in his head like an alarm and he'd have to shut his eyes and try to force them out. He never imagined Ian saying those words to him in such a venomous way towards him. It sounded so genuine, including the part where Ian compared Barley to those alphas that just use omegas. He couldn't believe Ian would think those guys as the same as Barley. He stayed awake for hours wondering if he could prove to Ian that he wasn't like them and that this whole situation was a terrible horrible misunderstanding. 

But it was too late, there was no way Ian wanted anything to do with him. It had been a week since Ian's outburst and the younger elf hadn't said a word to Barley. He wouldn't exactly avoid him, he'd just pretend as if he wasn't there. If Barley was in the kitchen Ian wouldn't wait until he left, he would just walk in grab what he needed and go. The same thing for when Barley would come home from work and Ian was on the couch watching tv or doing homework. He would merely turn to look at the older male with dull lifeless eyes before turning back to whatever he was doing. It was worse than being avoided. Ian was like a ghost around Barley and it was almost unbearable. He wanted it to stop more than anything. 

"Ian?" Barley had called out to his brother one day after summoning the courage. He watched Ian write something in his notebooks and he didn't bother turning to look at Barley.   
"Yes, Barley?" He responded dully.   
"Do...Do you wanna come with me to the store? We need more milk." Barley walked around the couch and stood close to him. He hoped maybe Ian would look at him this time, but still his brother's eyes remained glued to his notebooks.   
"I'm sorry Barley, I have to finish this homework." He said with no emotion in his voice at all.   
It was too much for Barley. He quickly sat down next to his brother and gripped him lightly by his arms. He turned Ian towards him, giving the elf no other option but to look Barley in his eyes. Barley was mortified to see not a hint of sadness, joy, anger, or anything. "Ian...I-I know you're not happy with me, but please don't shut me out. This is much worse for me than you think it is. I just want to-"   
"Barley, I have to finish this homework." Ian cut him off and repeated himself. "Could you please let me go?"   
Barley hesitated to move. He didn't want to, he _really_ didn't want to let him go but Ian looked over it all. Barley released the smaller elf and stood up defeated. As he walked to the front door he heard Ian speak from behind him. "I'm really sorry."   
He turned to look at Ian but he didn't move from his previous position and it seemed he was still just doing his homework. Barley left, thinking his ears were just playing tricks on him.

It had gone on like this for far too long; long enough for Barley to start accepting that Ian would never trust him again and he no longer wanted Barley's love. He figured that his best bet was to move on for now and just hope that maybe one day Ian would speak to him as a brother again. It was a fantasy but it was all Barley could do. His friends had noticed the change in behavior and thought getting him out of the house was the best bet for him. Surprisingly, Barley agreed. He couldn't remain in the same house as someone he loved and didn't love him back. It would start to drive him literally insane. So within this last week, Barley had been to about seven parties, getting drunk, playing games, and praying he'll wake up with no more pain. Of course his prayer never worked. 

He was at a party now, sitting on a couch, watching everyone have fun while he sulked. He wasn't drunk but buzzed and though his body felt warm his mind was in a gutter and couldn't focus on anything he was feeling besides his sorrow. His friends had asked him a couple times to come hang out and play games with them, but he constantly told them that he would meet up with them soon, even though that was an hour ago. At the moment, Barley just sat back and watched everyone, wondering if they all had mates or if anyone there was there for the same reason as him. He highly doubted it as he looked amongst the smiling faces. He wondered if any of them were fake. 

After a couple of minutes, he noticed a girl headed his way. From her shape and size, it was clear she was an omega. He quietly groaned as she took a seat next to him. "Hey, baby!" She purred. "You've been sitting here for the longest all by yourself. You wanna come dance with me?" She asked and clung herself to his arm.   
"No, I'm okay." Barely stated flatly. He hoped that'd be enough for her to take a hint.   
"Oh come on, what's the matter?" She asked sweetly and he shook his head.   
"Nothing," he said a little harsher then he had to. "I'm just not in mood. Sorry."  
The girl detached herself from his arm and Barley felt relieved that she got the point. But from the corner of his eye he could still see her seated next to him. She was clearly watching him and he didn't know why.   
"Oh...I see," She spoke softly. "You're mourning."   
Barley looked over to her clearly confused. "What?"  
"It's written all over your face," She tells him with a sad smile. "I'm surprised I couldn't see it before." 

Barley doesn't exactly know what to say. He just stares at her for a moment, wondering how she possibly figured out he was upset. She seemed so sure too, as if Barley was an open book. If that was the case, then how come every other person at the party couldn't tell what was wrong with him? He began to wonder what made her so different but the pain once again reminded him why he was here. He wasn't to worry about anyone else. 

Barley gave a dry chuckle. "You got me."   
She nodded before pulling down the collar of her shirt. Barley saw she had a large bite mark on the side of her neck. "You aren't the only one."   
Barley didn't want to ask what that mark and statement meant. His mind automatically told him that she was used and thrown away but he couldn't take a thought like that right now. Although it wasn't fair to her and it wasn't the same situation as his, it still made him sad to think that could happen to someone who seemed so nice. "I'm sorry." He mumbled and she smiled.   
"Can I ask you something?" She tilted her head at him as she asked.   
"Sure."   
"Why do alphas do that? Take what they want and then throw it away when they're done? Don't you guys know that hurts like hell?" She asked. She looked fine but from her tone barley could tell she really wasn't happy. "Why did you throw _your_ omega away?"  
Barley eyes widened as he quickly turned to her. "I didn't! I would never throw an omega away, especially not mine! It's just...It's just complicated. I didn't mean to break his heart, but he know thinks I'm just like the ones that you speak of, the ones that use others like assholes. I can tell you right now, we're NOT all the same, because I'm nothing like them. I'm _NOTHING_ like them."   
"...So then why are you here, instead of trying to prove that to him?" She asked and Barley contorted his face. "It's not over until _you both_ give up you know." 

Barley stared at the little omega and was at a loss for words. Her word sunk in and they replayed in his head like a broken record. They were doing something to him slowly and though he didn't quite understand it, he felt something in his chest lighten up. It was a subtle feeling but as he continued to stare at her it seemed she knew he got what she was trying to say. The feeling in Barleys chest grew and it didn't compare to the alcohol he's been drinking down or the pain he had been feeling all day. This feeling was something he hadn't had in a while, or at least it wasn't as strong. 

Hope.

He was about to say something to the girl that had made him feel this way when he was suddenly grabbed by the arm. "Hey Barley! We got a surprise for you man!" One of his friends had said as they pulled at his arm until he was forced to stand up.  
"No, wait! I have to-" Barley tried explaining but three of his male friends had grabbed him up and pushed him away from the little omega. He looked back at her with apologetic eyes and in return she smiled as if to say it was okay. "What's gotten into you guys? What's going on?!"  
"We know you've been down in the dumps bud." One of them tells him as he pushes the large elf up the flight of steps in the home. Barley was no expert on parties but he was sure people weren't usually allowed up there when everything was happening downstairs.   
"So we got you something that we hope will make you feel better!" Another friend laughed as he spoke.   
"What?" Barley asked but none of them responded. Barley was pushed up the steps into a lone hallway. His friends guided him all the way down until he reached the second to last door on the left. "What is this?!"  
"You'll find out, have fun bud!" His friend shouted as the others opened the door. 

With one great shove, Barley was in and the door was closed behind him. "Assholes." He grumbled before fixing his beanie on his head.   
"That's not very nice." A feminine voice had spoken up out of nowhere and Barley froze. He quickly scanned the room and eventually his eyes fell upon who had spoken to him. 

A female elf with long wavy hair, who happened to be very pretty, sat on the bed that was pushed to once side of the wall. Barley couldn't help notice she wasn't wearing any clothes besides her matching underwear and bra set. As nice as it looked, it made him uncomfortable and so did the grin she was giving him.   
"Um...Hi. I think there's been some sort of mistake." Barley said as he slowly started backing away to the door. "I'll just-"   
"Oh there's _no_ mistake," She purred before quickly hopping out of the bed. She swayed her hips as she walked over to him. "You're friends were telling me that you were having a rough couple of days so I figured I'd help you feel **much** better."   
She reached him and immediately pressed her body up against him. He groaned when she brought her hands up dragged her nails through his hair. "What do you say baby?" She asked.   
As hard as she was trying, Barley immediately shook his head. "N-No, I don't think that's a good idea."   
He tried reaching for the door again but she pulled him by the vest and slowly led him to the bed. His heart began to race with each step they took. "Oh come on! It'll be fun, I promise."  
Barley took her hands and removed them from his vest. "Seriously, it's a no. I don't think I could do this." He said before walking back to the door. He's about to leave when he hears her scoff.   
"Why not? Are you afraid of hurting that skinny little omega that _lives_ with you?" She said and Barley stopped. 

He turned to look at her and from the smirk on her face it was clear she was talking about Ian. Now that he really got a good look, she seemed familiar. It took him a second before he was finally able to put his finger on it. "Wait a minute...you're that girl from that party last week. Were...were you the one who took my beanie?"   
"Guilty." She giggled and it only caused Barley to become angry.   
"What did you say to Ian?" He growled. "You caused me a world of trouble do you know that?"   
"Oh what does it matter sweetheart?" She asked before rushing over to him and throwing her arms around his neck. "You're here with me now, and that's all that matters."  
"Listen, I don't think I made myself clear the-" 

Before Barley could finish his thought, his mind was suddenly foggy. The air smelled sweet and it was almost too much to bear. He suddenly felt different before he realized these were pheromones that had him caught off guard. He looked down at the elf in front of him and she seemed to be...cuter and really curvy. He allowed her to lead him to the bed and it became clear that this was her pheromones in the air. 

"There, now doesn't that feel better?" She asked as she laid him down on the mattress.   
"Yes." Barley's body spoke for him instead of his mind.   
"Now, you wanna have fun with me, don't you?"   
"...Yeah."   
His response created a wide smile across her face. "Good." She said as she began kissing at his neck.   
Barley wasn't one hundred percent sure what was going on but that was the whole point of pheromones, to attract the other mate without much work at all. It had worked like a charm and Barley couldn't find it in himself to get the girl off of him. He didn't even know her name, but she didn't seem to care. It was clear she just wanted Barley and as the scent got heavier and heavier, he was beginning to convince himself that maybe that was okay. 

"See? I bet no one else can make you feel like this." She purred and Barley's response was a groan. "That skinny omega is nothing compared to me Barley. I can do things that he can't and would never even think about. He could never make you as happy as I can, or as good. Forget about him, because _I'm_ better." 

Suddenly, Barley's mind seemed to reel itself back together quicker than it's ever have. The pheromones were heavy but he was no longer focused on them, only the terrible slander of Ian's name that just came out of this girl's easy mouth. She went in for a kiss on his lips, but before she could he grabbed both of her wrist and held her back. She looked down at him in clear astonishment to which he only returned a cold glare. 

" **No** , you're **not**."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will update soon!


	10. There Can Only Be One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story's slowly coming to an end! I had fun writing this one. Here's the tenth chapter.

He overreacted; he knows he did. He wasn't sure if the regret from his words or his actions from the past couple of days was heavier. He thought about it a lot, almost every second of the day because Ian was sure Barley didn't deserve such treatment. 

He had just been so mad. The anger seemed to take over his body and he genuinely couldn't control his emotions. He could never forget how he shook as he threw Barley's beanie in his face and questioned him as if he was a child. Ian sulked every time he thought about it. That was the first time he had ever had such an outburst and he wanted it to be the absolute last. If their mother had been home she would've been in complete shock. He could tell Barley was shocked too, but most of all he was hurt. 

The image of Barley's face after he had told him he hated him stayed plastered in his mind all of that night. Tears streamed down his face in complete disgust with himself. "I can't believe you said that to him...why would you say that?" Ian whispered to himself as he silently cried to sleep. The next morning had been the worse. He woke up feeling numb and unsure with everything. He didn't think about how his actions would have consequences, like still having to see Barley every single day since they lived together. How was he going to handle it? Should he go and immediately apologize? Would Barley even accept it? None of these questions he had answers for...so he chose not to do anything, literally. 

He didn't exactly avoid Barley, but he figured it was probably best if they just left each other alone. It was hard for Ian to be in the same room as him and not speak at all, but every time they were close, Ian imagined something else or _someone_ else getting in the way and they'd be right back to square one again. They were constantly in this dance of being in love and then breaking apart. Ian didn't know if he could take anymore breaking apart. So, he didn't speak much with Barley, he knew the older elf assumed that Ian was still upset with him, which he was since jealousy was still somehow getting the best of him, but it was mainly because this was the best Ian could do at the moment. 

Not speaking to Barley made him feel dead inside. He had no control over how he chose to show emotion or react to things, so most of the time he just didn't. He just walked around as if nothing mattered. When their mother was around, he'd either avoid her or give her some sort of lie as to why he looked so...lifeless. Barley seemed to notice first and there was no point of Ian lying to him; it was clear his brother just wanted Ian to be back to normal, though that was extremely hard. He had tried asking Ian to go out and get milk with him one day, but Ian couldn't bring himself to go. He knew either Barley was going to want to talk and it was going to be something Ian didn't want to hear or he just couldn't afford to hear. He turned him down and he felt terrible about it, watching the older elf walk away in defeat.   
"I'm sorry Barley." He mumbled from the couch as Barley was about to walk out. He didn't bother turning to see if Barley had heard him or not, he just mainly said it to comfort himself. 

It was so hard; being in love with someone he couldn't really have got to him in a multitude of ways. He wanted Barley to know how he felt, but he wasn't going to be able to bring himself to tell him now. It all seemed too little too late. Their cycle has made it clear that they aren't meant to be. Accepting that fact was something Ian was slowly still trying to do. The sooner he did, the sooner he'd have a chance at maybe, just _maybe_ finding some sort of happiness somewhere else. 

Sadalia had invited him over to her house with a couple other friends and he accepted. Maybe getting out and doing other things was the first step to moving on and finding something else. Ironically, Sadalia had invited Brandon over as well, the guy she had originally set up a date for him with.   
"I hope that's okay," She pulled him over by the door and whispered to him. "He said he really wanted to hang out with you seeing how he didn't get to really speak with you before."   
Ian nodded, knowing she was referring to the date he had cancelled on Brandon. "It's okay, I'm sure it'll still be fun."   
"Really?" Sadalia smiled in surprise. "Wow, look at you, becoming a little bolder everyday aren't you?"   
"Change is bound to come, sooner or later." He said avoiding eye contact with her so she can't tell what's really going on with him. 

As he sat down with his group of friends, and possibly love interest, he felt somewhat safe in the circle. Besides Barley, these guys seemed to understand him and didn't make him feel so small. They watched movies, made cookies, and played games and the night seemed to be going really well. Only about every ten minutes would Ian think of Barley, which was a major improvement considering before he came over it was every three. 

"So what's your favorite subject?" Brandon had asked him as they were in the middle of some card game. He had been very polite the entire night, which Ian was grateful for. He had never been into the pushy type and Brandon was the opposite of that. As Ian turned to him and got a good look at his face, Brandon was rather handsome. His hair wasn't long but wavy and it fit well with his green eyes. He had a strong jawline and Ian could imagine his smile causing girls to squeal.   
"Um, I'm pretty good at math." Ian told him. "I got a couple awards for test and tournaments I've won."  
'Wow, that's pretty good!" Brandon's smiled widened. "I should've known you were a smart one."   
Ian chuckles and shrugs. "I'm okay."   
"I've never been good with math...maybe we can grab a coffee and you can show me how it works some time." Brandon said as he rubbed the back of his head.   
Ian felt his face heat up and he knew his blush would be visible. Brandon was nice, really nice. "Yeah, that sounds good. Do you have a favorite subject?"

Ian listened as Brandon started telling him how he's always been more into P.E. since he was the athletic type. Ian remembered that he played for the school's basketball team. Although he rarely went to them, maybe he'd start showing up more. He felt surprisingly comfortable around Brandon and it seemed the alpha took a real liking to him. Throughout the night Sadalia had been giving Ian looks and it seemed she approved of the situation. Ian actually felt okay in the moment and everything seemed to be alright. 

He continued to listen to Brandon speak but the sound of one of his friends' holler filled the room. "You may be good, but it's not over yet!" His friend cried out as he through a card down on the table deck.

  
Ian went still as the words rung in his head again. "It's not over yet!" He suddenly heard Barley yell in his mind. Ian could see him throwing down a card onto his quest of yore deck. Ian had groaned and shook his head.   
"You always win." Ian had told him. Barley chuckled and rounded up the cards. "You're just too good at this!"   
"I'll tell you what, if you win the next round I'll buy you your favorite lunch." He said and Ian remembered how happy he got.   
"Really?!"   
"Have I ever lied to you?" Barley asked with soft eyes. " _Would_ I ever lie to you?"   
"No, you wouldn't." Ian smiled back sweetly. 

The memory had left a tight feeling in Ian's chest, especially the fact that even though Ian had lost, Barley still bought him lunch. The kindness had caused Ian to bite at his lip, trying to use the pain to distract himself. The thought of how Barley wouldn't lie to him continued to ring in his head. His mood suddenly shifted and Brandon seemed to notice. 

"Hey," He spoke softly and tilted himself to make eye contact with Ian. "You okay?"   
The younger elf immediately realized what was happening and forced himself to perk up. "Y-Yeah! Sorry, I just had a weird thought cross my mind. W-What were you saying about your team?"   
"Um, well..." Brandon gave Ian a funny, clearly concerned, look but he continued to speak like Ian had asked. 

As for Ian he tried to focus on Brandon and everything he was saying, but it became unbearably hard. His hair wasn't as messy as Barley's and his eyes seemed a little more professional. Ian liked that Barley's eyes weren't so serious; it just told people that he was the funnest person in the world, at least he was to Ian. Now that Ian really thought about it, he wondered when was the last time he told Barley that he liked his hair or his eyes. He wondered if Barley knew how much fun Ian liked having with him and how grateful he was that Barley would sometimes drop everything _just_ to take care of him. How Barley taught him how to ride a bike, how Barley held him during thunderstorms when he used to be afraid, how he bought him things Ian couldn't afford himself...Ian wondered if Barley knew how from young Ian was grateful for him. 

Ian began to wonder if he had gotten to fully tell Barley exactly how much he loved him when Barley had been there for him during his first heat, if things would be the way they were now. 

As all these thoughts piled on in his mind, there was one thing he didn't have to wonder about, and that was how he felt about Barley. He hated how things turned out and he hated to think it would stay this way. It didn't feel right leaving the pieces broken _hoping_ they'd fix themselves. Ian had to put them back together, even if his fingers bled. Barley had never been afraid to tell people things like it is, and he's always wanted that quality. If Ian was ever going to be brave, now was the time and he shouldn't need his seductive side to help him. He didn't want anyone besides Barely to see that, because Barley was the only one who truly deserved to. If anything, it was Barley would deserved Ian, not the other way around. 

Ian broke eye contact with Brandon as he felt he was going to tear. Brandon noticed the shift once again and took hold of the small elf's hand. "Ian?" He called out.   
Ian forced himself to lift his head and look in Brandon's eyes. As if magically, Brandon seemed to understand what was wrong. He squeezed Ian's hands with one of his own and with the other he held his chin. "Something tells me your heart will never belong to me...or anyone besides the alpha you're already in love with."   
Tears brimmed Ian's eyes and he genuinely felt bad for Brandon. "I'm sorry, I thought I could do this but...I can't, not to him."  
Brandon gave Ian the saddest smile he's seen in a while. He wiped a single tear that felt down Ian's cheek. "It's okay Ian, don't cry."   
"I'm so sorry."   
"Maybe in another life I'll be lucky enough to meet someone like you." Brandon chuckled. "I'll see you around still, yeah?"   
"Yeah. Don't give up on this life," Ian smiled and gave Brandon a kiss on his cheek. He stood up and turned to his friends that were now looking at him. "I have to go! Sorry for the late notice."   
"Wait, what?" Sadalia stood up and followed Ian to the door. "Ian?! Where are you going?" 

Ian ignored his friend as he made his way out the door. He pulled out his phone and before he could dial his mother's number, he felt Sadalia pull at his arm. "Ian!"   
"S-Sorry Sadalia, there's something I have to do." He tells her.   
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" She begins to overwhelm him with questions clearly out of concern. "Was it Brandon? Did he say something or-"   
Ian sighs before deciding it's worth the risk. He pulls down his hoodie, revealing the large bite mark on his neck. Sadalia gasp and covers her mouth. "I can't lose him, Sadalia. I'll explain it all later, but I have to go."   
It takes Sadalia a moment before she nods. Ian gives her a soft smile and hugs her. After releasing her, he turns on his heel and dials his mothers number.  
It takes her no time to answer. "Hey mom, Barley went to a party tonight right?" He asks her. "Which friend of his is hosting it again?" 

  
Ian rung the doorbell of the large blue house. His heart was racing a bit but he ignored it and remembered what he was there for. He wasn't going to let anything turn him away or slow him down. The door was opened by a tall girl who was most likely Barley's age and in college. She looked down at Ian and smiled out of confusion. "Uh, hey! Aren't you a little young to be at a party like this?"   
"I'm eighteen," Ian said a matter of factly. "Is Barley here?"   
"Yea he is! Come on in, take a look around." She said and moved to the side so Ian could enter. 

Ian walked in and was immediately hit with the stench of alcohol and horny alphas. It made him roll his eyes before he immediately scanned the room for his brother. This wasn't his type of scenery, and he was surprised that he'd even be able to find Barley at a party like this but the older elf's behavior has been out of whack for the last couple of days; they both were. He continued to search the room and tried not to let the hungry look of alphas get to him. He made sure not to get too close and not to keep eye contact for long. 

"Hey baby," Some random guy had called out to him. "You've got to be the cutest thing in here, why don't you come on over here!"   
Ian glared at the man and lowered his hoodie to reveal his mark. " **No thanks**."   
"Awe, what's that mark got to do with anything? I don't see your alpha here."   
Ian turned to look at the older male. "Oh he's here alright, and he wouldn't break his loyalty to me, so I won't either." 

Ian scoffs. He honestly couldn't believe he compared Barley to one of these bone heads. He was nothing like them and as soon as he found him, he was going to let him know that. When Ian turned around, he nearly jumped out of his skin seeing a small girl standing right in front of him. She was his height and relatively cute as a button. Ian considered just going around her, but she seemed way too invest in him.   
"I'm sorry, did you say you're looking for Barley?" She asked in a timid voice.   
"Y-Yes! Have you seen him?" Ian asks her.   
To his surprise she smiles warmly. "It must be you...he's upstairs." she says and points to the ceiling.   
"Thank you." Ian tells her and does his best to smile. He slowly turns from her and makes his way towards the staircase. 

Ian felt weird as he walked up the steps. It wasn't usually a part of the house that was open to others during house parties. He began to wonder what Barley was doing up here. His first thought was using the bathroom, but as Ian stepped up that final step, he noticed the first hall was full of mainly only bedrooms. His heart dropped and thoughts filled his head, thoughts that made him doubt himself, his being here, and most of all Barley. This time, he wasn't going to give in so easily. Ian shook his head and slowly made his way down the hallway, trying to guess which room Barley was in. Through each door he could hear moans and dirty talk; it made him uncomfortable but he had to remember he wasn't so different when he was in heat.   
When he finally reached the last door on the left, his ears perked when he heard a familiar voice. A girl's strained laughter was heard from the other side of the door. Ian was immediately drawn to the sound and he pressed his ear against the door. It was a total invasion of privacy, but he felt he had to do it. 

"Come on, Barley. Don't act like that!" She said and Ian gasped. His eyes widened after hearing his brothers name roll off the girls tongue. He recognized the way she said it because he's heard her say it before. It had to be the same girl that brought his beanie back. His heart began to race and Ian was about to twist the doorknob, but then he heard something else.   
"ENOUGH." Barley's voice boomed with anger. "I've tried being nice about it, but you've gone too far. You're **never** going to be like Ian and you're **never** going to be better than him. I don't know why it's so hard for girls like you to get it, I don't _want_ you. I'd be STUPID to try and replace him, and I'd be even STUPIDER to replace him with you!" 

Ian's heart fluttered at Barley's words, and just like that he knew that he made the right choice coming here to earn his brother's love back, which apparently he never lost. Though he was incredibly happy, Ian felt anger for Barley as well. Not only did she not back off the first time he asked her to, but she managed to trick him into believing there were others besides him. She was the definition of disgusting and Ian had no intention of letting her bother Barley anymore.  
With one quick motion, Ian broke through the door. He looked over at Barley first, who's eyes were wider than Ian's ever seen them. "I-Ian?" He mumbled, almost unsure if he was just seeing things.   
"You?! Ian turned to the girl and glared daggers at her. She crossed her arms clearly upset and angry.   
"Yup, me, **his omega**." Ian walked over to Barley and took him by his hand. He turned to the girl and showed her his bite mark.   
"Wait...you're already marked?!" She asked in astonishment. Ian smirked at her.   
"That's right," He said cheeky-like. "So I'd appreciate if you'd stop trying to take what doesn't **belong to you!** " 

With that, Ian pulled Barley out of the room, leaving the girl looking confused and clearly pissed off. As for Ian, the adrenaline of it all felt amazing. He had never felt so powerful and in control as he puled the confused Alpha down the steps. He didn't know what was coming next, but he knew he had to use this momentum to keep going.   
"Ian! What are you doing here? When did you get here?" Barley began asking. "What ha-"   
"Just come on Barley," Ian shook his head. "We're done here."   
As the pair came back down to the first floor of the house, Ian made eye contact with the same alpha that had hit on him earlier. He turned his attention to Barley and groaned. "What?! Him?!"   
"Yes, him." Ian said without giving the alpha a second glance.   
"What was that?" Barley growled at the other man and before he could become any more aggressive, Ian pulled him towards the front door. 

His eyes widened when he saw the same girl from earlier standing there. She smiled softly and opened the door for both Ian and Barley. "Have a great night." She said.   
Ian returned an equally kind smile. "Thanks again."   
"Thank you." Barley had said to her as well and he wondered why he was thanking her. He'd probably ask later. Right now, there was a couple of things he wanted to get off his chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter done! Just two more to go.


	11. The Truth Rises Above

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, classes have got me stressed lately. Here you are.

Barley wondered if Ian could hear his heartbeat. It was practically louder than a drum in his own ears and it felt like his heart would pop out of his chest any second now. As for Ian, he didn't look all that stressed and it only made Barley worry more. The young elf had just caught Barley at an outrageous party with a bunch of outrageous people and worst all all, that same girl who convinced Ian that Barley was basically already hers. 

As he drove on the roads, time to time he would give Ian side glances. He wondered what was going on in his brothers head. He _surely_ wanted to know what was going on in his head when he broke into the room and told the girl that **he** was Barley's omega. Barley never thought he'd hear those words come from Ian's mouth ever again. It sounded so surreal and he was still trying to comprehend if Ian had just said it to help Barley get out of the situation he clearly didn't want to be in or if he actually meant it. How did Ian even know where he was? He must've gone out of his way to call their mother and find out. If Barley remembered correctly, Laurel had told Barley that Ian was going to a gathering of his own tonight. Barley knew that surely that Brandon kid was going to be there. He tried not to let the jealousy eat at him since he had no right, but now as he sits besides his brother he wonders if Ian blew it all off just for him. 

They had been driving for about ten minutes in silence. Once they left his friend's home, Ian had told Barley to get into his van and just drive.   
"Where to?" Barley asked nervously. "Home or-"  
"No," Ian stated calmly, "towards the great hill by the school."

Barley was clearly confused, but he did what he was told without a word. The great hill was a spot where everything seemed to be much quieter than anywhere else, even though it was right by a school and the breeze their was nice. Barley wanted to ask Ian why he wanted to go there but he was afraid of the answer. Maybe Ian was going to officially end things with him all over, or tell him that things with Brandon really did work out so he should just give up on his hope of them making it work. Plus, they had been sitting in silence for so long it would feel weird to ask now. 

Soon Barley pulled up right in front of Ian's high school. Only then did he clear his throat and turn to Ian. "Um, we're here...What now?"   
Ian unbuckled his seat belt and opened the vehicles door on his side. "Come on." He said softly before hoping out and shutting the door behind him.  
Barley fumbled to do the same thing. When he got out, he locked his van and quickly hustled to catch up with Ian. He didn't get too close to him, just in case that wasn't what the younger elf wanted. He watched Ian walk through he grass and his footsteps were barely audible compared to Barley's. The older elf almost smiled at the fact that he continues to forget just how small Ian really is. 

Soon they reach the hill. Ian stops on one side and Barley makes his way to the other, only about ten feet from him. Barley looked down at the water below that was darker than his skin. The moon made it glow a bit and the tips of the waves sparkled. He looked over at Ian, who was just staring out at the moon with his arms comforting him, almost as if to hold himself together. That used to be Barley's job, and now maybe he'd never get to do it again. 

  
"It was right here you know," Ian finally spoke up and Barley watched him. "This is...where I fell in love with you."  
Barley's eyes widened at the sudden confession. Ian continued to speak. "At first I thought it was weird and it was hard to accept, but the more I thought about everything we've been through, every place we've gone...all the things you've done for me, I couldn't deny it anymore."  
"Is...are you serious?" Barley asked. Ian looked at him with his pair of soft eyes and nodded.   
"Sorry, if that's weird for you." He said. "I just thought you should know." 

Barley was now sure his heart was going to beat out of his chest. He wondered if this was all some sort of dream, if maybe he had drunk too much at that party and he actually did blackout. But, the air on his skin felt too real, the feeling in his chest was too heavy, and Ian, his everything, was right here with him. He was right here. His brothers words were the best thing that's ever happened to him, and it's finally given him the push he needed to be honest.   
Ian was about to turn around and walk down the hill, clearly taking Barley's silence as a sign of the end but Barley spoke up before he could confirm that conclusion. 

"From my early years as a teen," Barley's voice stopped Ian in his tracks. The older elf removed his beanie from his head and gripped it hard as he looked out into the water. "I-I knew I was different. I seemed louder, slower, and just more obnoxious than other kids my age...but you never seemed to mind _any_ of that. I felt fine with being who I was, because at the end of the day I came home to you and my level of excitement to see you was always matched. You were never embarrassed by me, you never shied away from me, and you genuinely cared about me."  
Barley turned and tried making eye contact with Ian, but turned away once he realized what he was going to have to admit next. "As we got older, my love for you grew and it deepened. I knew it wasn't healthy how much I thought about you, but I just couldn't stop. The fact that you were an omega scared me because I knew that meant one day, you would find an alpha you loved and I'd be old news. As much as I hated it, I-I felt it was better to just let it happen because I could NEVER give you the same amount of joy you give me. I just felt, one day you would be embarrassed of me, you would shy away, and eventually...you'd realize you'd be happier with someone else. When I marked you, it was out of fear of losing you when I just wanted to hold on to you forever, but that isn't fair of me...especially knowing you could be happier."

Barley squeezed his beanie with everything he had. It had been the first time he was completely honest with Ian about how he felt about him and it was more terrifying than he thought. It was quiet, so quiet that Barley could've sworn he was hearing voices in the wind...or that might've been his nervous mind playing tricks on him. He didn't know what to expect from Ian, but the suddenly outburst of laughter was the last thing he would've thought of. 

Barley turned to see Ian actually _laughing_ his heart out. "B-Barley! Are you serious?!"  
"What?!" He asked him and put his beanie back on. He was complete in shock. "Why are you laughing at me?!"   
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry." Ian said as he tried to control his giggles. "It's just that that's the craziest thing I've ever heard!"   
"Huh?"  
"Barley, you're literally my FAVORITE thing in the whole world! Embarrassed of you? Shy away?! What're you talking about! I **love** you for **exactly** who you are, the only way you could possibly disappoint me is if you were to change!" Ian said. Tears began to roll down his eyes.   
"Really?"   
"Of course!" Ian tried to wipe his tears of happiness. "I wouldn't trade you for all the magic in the world. My god Barley, I thought it was ME this whole time."  
"O-Of course it wasn't you!" Barley shouted and began laughing himself. "You're absolutely perfect."   
"You mean it?" Ian asked and wiped his freshly fallen tears.   
"With all my heart!" Barley says and he can't help but shed a tear himself. "Ian, everything I do I do for you. You're my everything."   
Ian's smile widens and he begins laughing all over. This time Barley joins him. "I can't believe this." Ian said. "We really screwed this one up didn't we?"  
"Yeah." Barley wiped his face. "All this time, all I had to do was tell you."   
"And all _I_ had to do was tell _you_." 

Barley smiled warmly at Ian and watched the younger elf wipe the tears from his face. This had to be the happiest moment of his life. He didn't think his heart would ever feel as full as it was now. Ian looked up at him and took a step closer.   
"Barley?"   
"Yea, Ian?"   
"I love you."   
Barley smiled and began to walk towards his brother. "I love you too Ian, with all of my being I love you too and I always will. I wanna be there for you; I wanna be with you and only you."   
"No more games." Ian stated and opened his arms wide.  
"No more games." Barley rushed him and scooped Ian up in his arms. 

He squeezed Ian as if he would never hug him again. The younger elf hugged him back until he seemed to be struggling to breathe. He began to try and wiggle out of Barley's grasp, only making Barley squeeze him more. "Barley!" Ian yelled in protest. Barley laughed and lifted Ian off the ground. He swung him around before sitting on the grass with Ian in his arms. The younger elf nuzzled against him and held him back. "You're such a handful."   
Barley chuckled before kissing Ian's forehead. "I know."   
Ian brought his lips to Barley's, and it had never felt so perfect. 


	12. New Beginnings Are Welcomed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double upload! Here's the final chapter.

"This is a bad idea." Barley mumbled under his breath. Ian looked at him and frowned.   
"I don't think it'll be so bad," Ian whispered back. "Plus we kinda don't have a choice."  
"Yeah, but what if she flips out?" Barley asked as he rubbed his chin. "What if she kicks me out?"   
"Then I go with you."   
"Ian, no way. You have to-"   
"Barley," Ian placed his hand over his brother's larger one. "I go with you." 

Barley smiled at Ian and it was clear he was doing his best to keep it together. Today was a big day for both him and Ian and neither of them knew how it was going to go down. It had been a week since they had confessed how they felt about each other and everything had been going smoothly. But in the back of Ian's head there was this guilty feeling that there was someone else who deserved to know. After Ian had spoken to Barley about it, the older elf was worried but he agreed. Now, Barley was practically shaking in his seat. Ian tried to comfort and convince him that it would be alright, though he wasn't too sure himself. His approach to the situation was simple, he was just going to poor it all out at once and hope that the blow back wasn't too catastrophic. 

"Alright, sorry I'm late!" Laurel said as she entered the kitchen. She took a seat across from both her son and intertwined her fingers on the table. She smiled warmly. "So what's this about?"  
Ian swallowed dryly and looked at Barley. He could see the same amount of terror in his eyes. Both of them seemed to be stuck, hoping that one of them would be the first to speak. Their mother giggled. "What's going on boys? Come on, you can tell me anything! You know that."   
"M-Mom," Ian's voice shook as he spoke. "I have to s-show you something. Something that you may find...odd."   
"Okay?" She responded.   
"B-But before he does, I just want to say I'm really sorry I waited this long to say anything." Barley said. "I'm just...really sorry."   
"What's going on? You two are starting to scare me." Laurel said quietly, giving her sons a concerned look. Ian looked to Barley one more time, before slowly pulling down the neck of his hoodie. Ian's choker with Barley's name was the first thing to be seen, and right below it was Barley's bite mark.   
"Wait a minute, I've seen that before. Barley weren't you holding tha-" She freezes when she notices the large mark on her youngest son's neck. "Oh my god...oh my _god_ , **IAN**!! Is that a bite mark?! Where did this come from? Who did this to you?!" She asked as she stood up and reached for Ian's neck. 

"...I did." Barley spoke softly.

Laurel froze and Ian held his breath. She looked from Ian to Barley, back to Ian, and then back to Barley. "You... _WHAT_?"   
"It was me," Barley repeated himself with fear in his voice. "I did it, mom. During his first heat."   
"I-It wasn't his fault though!" Isn quickly jumped in. "I egged him on. He warned me to stay away but...my emotions got the better of me."   
"I know it doesn't make it any better but I was careful!" Barley said. "I know you warned me that something like this could happen but I don't know what came over me!"  
"Please don't be angry with him mom, it really was my fault. I-I should've asked you to stay home...but as crazy as it sounds I'm glad it was Barley and not just some random guy! He took care of me!"   
"I-I made sure he had all his suppressants, I didn't allow him to leave when I felt he was at risk, I did all of it." Barley pointed out. "Except for...not marking him."   
"I'm so sorry mom."   
"I'm so so sorry." 

Both Ian and Barley lowered their heads and avoided their mothers eyes. She hadn't said a word and it seemed it was all too much to process. She slowly lowered herself back into her seat and Ian awaited her reaction. There was nothing. She stayed quiet and seemed to be in deep thought. Ian thought about saying something but maybe that wasn't the right call right now. The best thing to do was wait. After what seemed like hours, she finally spoke.

"So...this happened the day I told you about his heat?" Laurel asked Barley in a surprisingly yet disturbingly calm tone.  
"Y-Yes." Barley answered with his head hung low.   
"And that necklace with his name on it...is yours?" She turned Ian and he quickly lowered his head as well.   
"...Yeah."  
"So you've been hiding this for weeks basically."   
"Yes." Both Ian and Barley answered.   
Laurel stayed quiet for a moment but spoke after some time. "Wow...you both must've been terrified."   
"I thought I was going insane." Barley admitted. "I'm sorry mom."   
"Are you...gonna yell at us?" Ian asked.  
"Kick me out?" Barley asked next.   
"Heavens no, I could never do that." She sighed and slouched into her chair. "I have to be honest with you boys. I've always noticed something was...different about you two."   
Ian and Barley gave each other looks. "Different?"   
Laurel nodded. "Barley, you've always been extremely fascinated with Ian. Fascinated in a way I couldn't exactly understand, until now. Ian, you've always clung onto Barley ever since you were a baby. As you grew I noticed your clinginess had become _much_ more affectionate. I waited for you to show that you do the same thing with everyone else, but it was always just Barley to my surprise."   
Laurel gives both of them a small smile. "To be honest boys, in my head I knew the chances of _this_ happening, were never close to zero. That would freak out most mothers, but because it was you two..I figured it wouldn't be the end of the world."  
"So...you aren't mad with us?" Barley asked.   
"I suppose not, like I said this has always been in the back of my mind. If I had the chance would I have tried preventing the marking? Yes. But now thinking about it, it was probably going to happen sooner or later."

Ian couldn't believe it. This had gone SO much better than he thought it would. He looked over at Barley and the stress seemed to leave the older males body. He reached his hand out and their mother took it. "I'm sorry mom, but thank you." He said with clear gratefulness in his voice.  
"Stop looking so glum, both of you." She said. "Your destiny is in your own hands."   
Barley turned to Ian. "Yeah, it is." Ian threw himself over Barley and hugged tightly. Laurel turned away and groaned. 

"This is gonna take some time getting used to."

  
Life hadn't changed too much for the Lightfoots. Ian was soon graduating high school and he would soon be off to college. He decided he would like to pick one that was close to home. He still wanted to see his friends and Sadalia. He sat her down and explained everything to her, kind of expecting her to disown him as a friend.   
"Are you kidding?" She said in disbelief. "That's like the cutest and most dramatic love story ever."   
She swore not to be judgmental nor tell another soul. Ian was grateful for a friend like that. He also helped her find Brandon a new potential mate. It turn out, that sweet girl from that loud party was a perfect candidate. Ian had run into her in a grocery store, and though she was marked, she was still looking for someone who actually wanted her. Brandon didn't mind the mark and he loved her personality. They've been going on for about a month now.   
Laurel had settled in nicely with her sons new life choices. She was the most accepting mother in the world and Ian thanked her everyday for it. 

As for him and Barley, not much has changed. They were still the best duo the town has ever seen. As a gift, Ian bought Barley a wristband that matched his choker from the same shop in the mall. Ian's name was perfectly spelled out on the same name plate with a phoenix gem and the older elf swore to never take it off. Just like they always did, they spent every day together, and just like before they reminded each other just how much they meant to one another. They carried each others scent everywhere they went and other alphas and omegas no longer bothered approaching either of them, because it was clear they had found their perfect match. Life for them had never been sweeter and the only games that were played, were Barley's rpg ones, which Ian still wasn't good at. 

"You always win!" Ian threw his stack of cards at Barley and the older elf laughed.   
"There's only one thing that makes me a true winner," Barley said as he began picking up the cards. "I've got you."   
"Eck, gross." Ian faked repulse though the words warned his heart.   
"You _love_ it." Barley said as he quickly pounced and scooped Ian up in his arms.   
The younger elf laughed before giving his alpha a heartfelt kiss. "I do." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and for reading my story!!! I intend on writing another that'll have a much different feel to it. I really hope you liked it! :)


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